The Exchange Bar is a relaxed, cosy bar in the heart of Leicester's Cultural Quarter, opposite the Curve Theatre at 50 Rutland Street (LE1 1RD). It occupies a Grade II-listed 1888 building — originally a printing press, later a furniture store — and has been open since 2000. The Exchange is where live music, comedy and the arts come together: it programmes great local bands across all genres alongside local DJs, plus comedy (winner of Best New Venue at the 2011 Leicester Comedy Festival Awards), swing-dance classes, quizzes and art exhibitions. Open all day from 8:30am to midnight (1am at weekends), with a PA in place for performers.
Leicester · Every Wednesday · No fee listed
The Exchange Bar Open Mic
Leicester open mic at The Exchange Bar — listed on Google Places. Schedule details below are pending venue confirmation; check the venue's own listings before turning up.
Next night: Wed 18 Nov. Kick-off 20:00, sign-up from 19:30. 12-minute slots. No fee listed.
Nearby open micsUpdated 13 November 2026
At a glance
Checked 9 Sept 202620:00
Kick-off
Wednesdays
sign-up from 19:30Wednesdays
| Night | Every Wednesday |
| Sign-up | 19:30 walk-in |
| Slot | 12 min |
| Entry | No fee listed · 18+ |
| Backline | PA provided |
01 — Inside the room
4 photosPhotos: Google
147
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 |
| Website | theexchangebar.co.uk |
The check
| Status | Verified running |
| Last checked | 9 Sept 2026 |
| Checked against | Web listing |
03 — The night
Every WednesdayHow the night runs
20:00
Kick-off
WednesdaysRunning order
19:30 Sign-up· Walk-in
20:00 Kick-off· 12-minute slots
23:30 Venue closes
04 — Find The Exchange Bar
LeicesterGetting there
50 Rutland St,
Leicester LE1 1RD
Leicester LE1 1RD
The nearest station is Leicester (rail station), about 5 minutes' walk away.
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 Exchange Bar on Rutland Street, in Leicester's Cultural Quarter, runs a weekly open mic every Wednesday night hosted by Joey from T O Soul. It's a genuinely broad-church night — "all welcome from rappers to saxophonists" — so you'll hear soul, hip-hop, instrumentalists and singer-songwriters share the same stage. The bar also runs an Open Turn Table vinyl night on the first Thursday of the month, so there's a steady music scene here midweek.
The Exchange Bar is a relaxed, cosy bar in the heart of Leicester's Cultural Quarter, opposite the Curve Theatre at 50 Rutland Street (LE1 1RD). It occupies a Grade II-listed 1888 building — originally a printing press, later a furniture store — and has been open since 2000. The Exchange is where live music, comedy and the arts come together: it programmes great local bands across all genres alongside local DJs, plus comedy (winner of Best New Venue at the 2011 Leicester Comedy Festival Awards), swing-dance classes, quizzes and art exhibitions. Open all day from 8:30am to midnight (1am at weekends), with a PA in place for performers.
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Leicester · Every Wednesday
The Exchange Bar Open Mic
Leicester open mic at The Exchange Bar — listed on Google Places. Schedule details below are pending venue confirmation; check the venue's own listings before turning up.
- Wednesday
- Open mic night
- Apr 2026
- Listed since
- 9 Sept
- Last verified
- No fee
- Entry
- 12 min
- Slot length
- Verified
- Listing status
Run a Leicester open mic? List it free — reviewed before it goes live
Last updated: 13 November 2026
The Exchange Bar Open Mic — Quick Facts
The Exchange Bar Open Mic runs on Wednesdays at The Exchange Bar in Leicester, starting at 20:00 with sign-up from 19:30. Below: when it runs, sign-up and slots, the stage kit and how to get there.
Open mic status Last verified 9 Sept 2026
How sure we are
Verified active
Checked against the venue’s own listing See The Exchange Bar’s venue page →
The night starts at 20:00. Sign-up is on the night from 19:30 - get there early to get a slot. Slots run about 12 minutes. A PA is listed; check what else is on stage before you bring a band.
Next nightWed 18 Nov · 20:00Starts in 5d 12h 21m
Age18+
Sign-upWalk-in on the night
BacklinePA provided
Sound engineerAsk the venue
Directory statusVerified active
Member votes0 to get the venue on GigXchange
Websitetheexchangebar.co.uk
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.
NightWednesdayEvery WednesdayNext: Wed 18 Nov
Starts20:00start time
Sign-up19:30Walk-in
Slots12minutes each
What’s on in Leicester this week — or see what’s on across the UK.
About This Open Mic
The Exchange Bar on Rutland Street, in Leicester's Cultural Quarter, runs a weekly open mic every Wednesday night hosted by Joey from T O Soul. It's a genuinely broad-church night — "all welcome from rappers to saxophonists" — so you'll hear soul, hip-hop, instrumentalists and singer-songwriters share the same stage. The bar also runs an Open Turn Table vinyl night on the first Thursday of the month, so there's a steady music scene here midweek.
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 The Exchange Bar’s Wednesday night runs.
Next nightWed 18 Nov · 20:00Starts in 5d 12h 21m
Sign-up opens19:30Walk-in on the night
Kick-off20:00Every Wednesday
Venue closes23:30The listed closing time
Slots12minutes each
How often
Every Wednesday
Coming up
Wed 18 Nov · Wed 25 Nov · Wed 2 Dec
Kit
The Exchange Bar provides a PA system — check the rest with the venue.
First time here?
Get there by 19:30 for a slot, have your instrument tuned before your turn and keep to about 12 minutes.
Find The Exchange Bar
50 Rutland St, Leicester LE1 1RD
Address50 Rutland St
AreaLeicester
PostcodeLE1 1RD
DirectionsOpen in Google Maps →
Getting there
The nearest station is Leicester (rail station), about 5 minutes' walk away. The Exchange Bar is in Leicester — use LE1 1RD for sat-nav, taxis and ride apps. 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
Station data: NaPTAN, Department for Transport (Open Government Licence).
Planning Your Wednesday Night
Get there by 19:30 to sign up for a slot. The Exchange Bar 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
How much should paid gigs pay you? Most open mic musicians are ready sooner than they think — try the Rate Calculator for live UK rates by role, city and venue size. Part of the Leicester live music scene.
Common Questions
9 questions people ask before going to Leicester's The Exchange Bar open mic.
Walk-in sign-up only, opens at 19:30. Arrive early — slots fill on the night. See other Leicester open mic nights for alternatives.
The Exchange Bar provides a PA system — check the rest with the venue.
12 minutes per act — typically 3 songs solo.
No entry fee is listed for The Exchange Bar'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.
50 Rutland St, Leicester LE1 1RD.
Mostly fellow musicians, friends and Leicester regulars across the Leicester open mic scene. Leicester open mic crowds tend to listen attentively.
The nearest station is Leicester (rail station), about 5 minutes' walk away. For sat-nav and taxis, the postcode is LE1 1RD. (Station data: NaPTAN, Department for Transport, Open Government Licence.)
Sign-up is walk-in on the night, from 19:30, so you do not need to book ahead. GigXchange doesn't publish venue phone numbers or emails - the venue's own website is linked on this page. Browse other Leicester open mics.
Venues Near The Exchange Bar
No other gigs are listed at The Exchange Bar 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 →
The Exchange Bar open mic in brief. The Exchange Bar open mic runs every Wednesday from 20:00 (no fee listed); sign-up opens 19:30 and slots run about 12 minutes. The Exchange Bar’s venue page lists its kit and capacity if you want to come back with a full band. For another 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 ›Want paid gigs instead of open mics? See Leicester gigs or check the going rate.
10 — Venues near The Exchange Bar
All ›More rooms near The Exchange Bar: Inside No 9, 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 and The Western Pub.
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