Dover Castle, at 34 Dover Street in Leicester city centre, claims to be one of the UK's oldest gay venues and holds regular cabaret nights. It stands out for its welcoming atmosphere, where both original acts and cover bands find a platform to perform. The venue features a reliable PA system, making it suitable for a variety of mixed genres. This grassroots hub fosters local talent and offers an intimate setting for music lovers to discover new sounds.
Leicester · Every Thursday · No fee listed
Dover Castle Open Mic
Leicester's thursday open mic.
Next night: Thu 19 Nov. Kick-off 20:00. No fee listed.
Nearby open micsUpdated 13 November 2026
At a glance
Checked 13 Oct 202620:00
Kick-off
Thursdays
sign-up on the nightThursdays
| Night | Every Thursday |
| Sign-up | Walk-in |
| Slot | Ask the host |
| Entry | No fee listed · all ages |
| Backline | PA provided |
01 — Inside the room
4 photosPhotos: Google
198
page views on GigXchange. Is it your night?
0 members voted to bring the venue onto GigXchange02 — The details
Before you goEverything you need to know
0
Member votes
votes to get this venue on GigXchange
| Capacity | – |
| Performer types | Musicians · Comedians |
The check
| Status | Verified running |
| Last checked | 13 Oct 2026 |
| Checked against | Web listing |
03 — The night
Every ThursdayHow the night runs
20:00
Kick-off
ThursdaysRunning order
20:00 Kick-off
00:00 Venue closes
04 — Find Dover Castle
LeicesterGetting there
Leicester
05 — What's on stage
1 provided · 6 TBC| PA system | Provided |
| Drum kit | TBC |
| Guitar amp | TBC |
| Bass amp | TBC |
| Keys / keyboard | TBC |
| Vocal mics | TBC |
| In-house engineer | TBC |
06 — About
LeicesterAbout the night
The Dover Castle is a lively, welcoming LGBTQ+ bar in Leicester (LE1) that hosts a weekly open mic every Thursday, with the mic open to anybody from 8pm. Bring whatever you've got — singing, an instrument, a comedy sketch or more is all fair game. Entry is free, there's a PA, and it sits among a packed week of karaoke, drag bingo and cabaret. An 18+ bar atmosphere.
Dover Castle, at 34 Dover Street in Leicester city centre, claims to be one of the UK's oldest gay venues and holds regular cabaret nights. It stands out for its welcoming atmosphere, where both original acts and cover bands find a platform to perform. The venue features a reliable PA system, making it suitable for a variety of mixed genres. This grassroots hub fosters local talent and offers an intimate setting for music lovers to discover new sounds.
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Leicester · Every Thursday
Dover Castle Open Mic
Leicester's thursday open mic. Starts at 20:00.
- Thursday
- Open mic night
- May 2026
- Listed since
- 13 Oct
- Last verified
- No fee
- Entry
- —
- Sign-up time
- Verified
- Listing status
Run a Leicester open mic? List it free — reviewed before it goes live
Last updated: 13 November 2026
Dover Castle Open Mic — Quick Facts
Dover Castle Open Mic runs on Thursdays at Dover Castle in Leicester, starting at 20:00. Below: when it runs, sign-up and slots, the stage kit and how to get there.
Open mic status Last verified 13 Oct 2026
How sure we are
Verified active
Checked against the venue’s own listing See Dover Castle’s venue page →
Music starts around 20:00. It's walk-in sign-up - arrive early to get a slot. A PA is listed; check what else is on stage before you bring a band.
Next nightThu 19 Nov · 20:00Starts in 6d 12h 14m
AgeAll ages
Sign-upWalk-in on the night
Who playsMusicians · Comedians
BacklinePA provided
Sound engineerAsk the venue
Directory statusVerified active
Member votes0 to get the venue on GigXchange
How do you rate this open mic?One tap, no sign-up required.
Spotted something wrong with this listing?Closed, moved night, different start time? Let us know. We review corrections within 7 days.
NightThursdayEvery ThursdayNext: Thu 19 Nov
Starts20:00start time
Sign-upWalk-insign-up
SlotsTBCslot lengthNot confirmed yet
What’s on in Leicester this week — or see what’s on across the UK.
About This Open Mic
The Dover Castle is a lively, welcoming LGBTQ+ bar in Leicester (LE1) that hosts a weekly open mic every Thursday, with the mic open to anybody from 8pm. Bring whatever you've got — singing, an instrument, a comedy sketch or more is all fair game. Entry is free, there's a PA, and it sits among a packed week of karaoke, drag bingo and cabaret. An 18+ bar atmosphere.
What's on stage — equipment and backline at this venue, verified regularly.
PA systemProvided
Drum kitTBC
Guitar ampTBC
Bass ampTBC
Keys / keyboardTBC
Vocal micsTBC
In-house engineerTBC
The Night at a Glance
How Dover Castle’s Thursday night runs.
Next nightThu 19 Nov · 20:00Starts in 6d 12h 14m
Kick-off20:00Every Thursday
Venue closes00:00The listed closing time
How often
Every Thursday
Coming up
Thu 19 Nov · Thu 26 Nov · Thu 3 Dec
Kit
Dover Castle provides a PA system — check the rest with the venue.
First time here?
Arrive early to get your name on the list, tune up before you go on.
Find Dover Castle
Leicester
AreaLeicester
DirectionsOpen in Google Maps →
Getting there
Dover Castle is in Leicester. Check the venue's website for parking and the nearest station before you set off.
Open mics nearby
The Black Dog, The Cookie, The Western Pub and The Organ Grinder
Planning Your Thursday Night
Arrive early to get your name down. Dover Castle provides a PA system — check the rest with the venue.
The scene Live music in Leicesterthe venues, the gigs and where it happensGet gigs How to get gigs in Leicesterpay, venues that book, how to pitchBands Find a band in Leicesteracts to book or play alongsideGigs Upcoming gigs in Leicesterevery listing, sorted by dateArtists Browse artist profilesfind acts to play or collaborate withOpen mics UK Open Mic Finderfree stage time, night by night
What should you charge for paid gigs? Most open mic musicians are ready sooner than they think — try the Rate Calculator for live UK rates by role, city and venue size. In the wider Leicester live music scene.
Common Questions
8 questions people ask before going to Leicester's Dover Castle open mic.
Walk-in sign-up only. Arrive early — slots fill on the night. See other Leicester open mic nights for alternatives.
Dover Castle provides a PA system — check the rest with the venue.
Slot length varies — check with the host.
No entry fee is listed for Dover Castle's open mic - most open mics are free to play and to watch, but check with the venue before you go. Browse Leicester open mics.
Ask the host before bringing a full band — solo and duo acts are the usual open-mic format.
Dover Castle is in Leicester. Get directions, or see the other Leicester open mics.
Mostly fellow musicians, friends and Leicester regulars across the Leicester open mic scene. Leicester open mic crowds tend to listen attentively.
Sign-up is walk-in on the night, so you do not need to book ahead. GigXchange doesn't publish venue phone numbers or emails. Browse other Leicester open mics.
Venues Near Dover Castle
No other gigs are listed at Dover Castle in the GigXchange directory yet — these are the rooms around it, their size, kit and live nights.
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See what’s on in Leicester over the next four weeks →
Dover Castle open mic in brief. The Dover Castle open mic runs every Thursday from 20:00 (no fee listed). Coming back with a full band? Dover Castle’s venue page has its kit and capacity listed. For a different night this week, the open mics near Leicester are listed by day.
Booking or playing in Leicester? The GX Index publishes what UK gigs actually pay, by city, band size and venue type, and the GX Index reports set out the methodology and the sample behind every figure. Both are free to read and free to cite.
Keep exploring: the UK gig directory for what's coming up, the venue directory for rooms that book live music, the open mic finder for recurring stage time, and what's on across the UK this week. The blog covers pricing, contracts and getting booked, and about GigXchange explains who runs it and why. Something not right on this page? Tell us — or start on the home page.
09 — More Leicester open mics
All ›Looking for paid gigs, not open mics? See Leicester gigs or check the going rate.
10 — Venues near Dover Castle
All ›More rooms near Dover Castle: Katie O'Brien's Irish Tavern, MMC Venue, Mosh, Queen of Bradgate, Sally Cinnamon's Music Venue, The Donkey, The Old Horse, The Salmon, The Shed, The Western Pub and 33 Cank Street.
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