Fuel Café Bar is a vegetarian café-bar and upstairs stage on Wilmslow Road in Withington, south Manchester (M20). Alongside fresh veggie food, coffee, cakes and a big drinks list, the upstairs room programmes live music, comedy, poetry, quizzes, open mics and board games. Two regular open mics run here: BOOM, a fortnightly Monday night dedicated to music of black origin (soca, jazz, blues, rap, reggae, afrobeats, R&B and poetic storytelling), and Amp Presents on the third Tuesday of the month — an informal, low-tech evening of music, poetry and storytelling, all mediums welcome, with sign-up in advance via ampmcr.com or at the venue by 7.45pm. Open 11am–late daily; c. 70 capacity upstairs.
Manchester · Every other Monday · No fee listed
Fuel Cafe Bar Open Mic
Withington's monday-night free open mic at Fuel Cafe Bar — PA + vocal mic, walk-in sign-up from 7:30pm, 10-minute slots, all ages.
Kick-off 19:30, sign-up from 19:30. 10-minute slots. No fee listed.
Nearby open micsUpdated 13 November 2026
At a glance
Checked 25 Sept 202619:30
Kick-off
Mondays
sign-up from 19:30Mondays
| Night | Every other Monday |
| Sign-up | 19:30 walk-in |
| Slot | 10 min |
| Entry | No fee listed · all ages |
| Backline | PA provided |
01 — Inside the room
6 photosPhotos: Google
226
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 · Poets |
The check
| Status | Verified running |
| Last checked | 25 Sept 2026 |
| Checked against | Music directory |
03 — The night
Every other MondayHow the night runs
Every other Monday
Check the date before you goRunning order
19:30 Kick-off· 10-minute slots
22:30 Last songs
00:00 Venue closes
04 — Find Fuel Cafe Bar
WithingtonGetting there
448 Wilmslow Road,
Withington, Manchester M20 3BW
Withington, Manchester M20 3BW
The nearest station is Burton Road (tram stop), about 15 minutes' walk away.
05 — What's on stage
1 provided · 5 TBC| PA system | Provided |
| Drum kit | TBC |
| Guitar amp | TBC |
| Bass amp | TBC |
| Keys / keyboard | TBC |
| Vocal mics | TBC |
| In-house engineer | None |
06 — About
Withington, ManchesterAbout the night
Fuel Cafe Bar's upstairs room in Withington hosts BOOM — a fortnightly Monday open mic celebrating music of Black origin, from soca, jazz and blues to rap, reggae, afrobeats, R&B and poetic storytelling. It runs 7.30pm till 10.30pm, entry is free and performers get a free drink. Home-grown acts especially welcome; this is a warm, genre-spanning night rather than the usual acoustic-guitar circuit. Fuel is a long-standing veggie cafe-bar, so expect a friendly, community feel.
Fuel Café Bar is a vegetarian café-bar and upstairs stage on Wilmslow Road in Withington, south Manchester (M20). Alongside fresh veggie food, coffee, cakes and a big drinks list, the upstairs room programmes live music, comedy, poetry, quizzes, open mics and board games. Two regular open mics run here: BOOM, a fortnightly Monday night dedicated to music of black origin (soca, jazz, blues, rap, reggae, afrobeats, R&B and poetic storytelling), and Amp Presents on the third Tuesday of the month — an informal, low-tech evening of music, poetry and storytelling, all mediums welcome, with sign-up in advance via ampmcr.com or at the venue by 7.45pm. Open 11am–late daily; c. 70 capacity upstairs.
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Withington · Every other Monday
Fuel Cafe Bar Open Mic
Withington's monday-night free open mic at Fuel Cafe Bar — PA + vocal mic, walk-in sign-up from 7:30pm, 10-minute slots, all ages.
- Monday
- Open mic night
- Apr 2026
- Listed since
- 25 Sept
- Last verified
- No fee
- Entry
- 10 min
- Slot length
- Verified
- Listing status
Run a Manchester open mic? List it free — reviewed before it goes live
Last updated: 13 November 2026
Fuel Cafe Bar Open Mic — Quick Facts
Fuel Cafe Bar Open Mic runs on Mondays (fortnightly) at Fuel Cafe Bar in Manchester, starting at 19:30 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 25 Sept 2026
How sure we are
Verified active
Checked against the venue’s own listing See Fuel Cafe Bar’s venue page →
The night starts at 19:30 and runs to about 22:30. It's walk-in sign-up, with the list opening at 19:30 - arrive early to get a slot. Slots run about 10 minutes - room for roughly 18 acts. There is a PA listed - ask what else is on stage before you load in.
AgeAll ages
Sign-upWalk-in on the night
Who playsMusicians · Poets
BacklinePA provided
Sound engineerNone in-house
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.
NightMondayEvery other Monday
Starts19:30until 22:30
Sign-up19:30Walk-in
Slots10minutes eachRoom for about 18 acts
What’s on in Manchester this week — or see what’s on across the UK.
About This Open Mic
Fuel Cafe Bar's upstairs room in Withington hosts BOOM — a fortnightly Monday open mic celebrating music of Black origin, from soca, jazz and blues to rap, reggae, afrobeats, R&B and poetic storytelling. It runs 7.30pm till 10.30pm, entry is free and performers get a free drink. Home-grown acts especially welcome; this is a warm, genre-spanning night rather than the usual acoustic-guitar circuit. Fuel is a long-standing veggie cafe-bar, so expect a friendly, community feel.
Equipment and backline at this venue — what's on stage, verified regularly.
PA systemProvided
Drum kitTBC
Guitar ampTBC
Bass ampTBC
Keys / keyboardTBC
Vocal micsTBC
In-house engineerNone
The Night at a Glance
How Fuel Cafe Bar’s Monday night runs.
Sign-up opens · Kick-off19:30Walk-in on the night
Music ends22:30Last act finishes
Venue closes00:00The listed closing time
Slots10minutes eachroom for about 18 acts
How often
Every other Monday
Getting there
Withington, Manchester, M20 3BW - the map is below.
Kit
Fuel Cafe Bar provides a PA system; no in-house sound engineer — 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 10 minutes.
Find Fuel Cafe Bar
448 Wilmslow Road, Withington, Manchester M20 3BW
Address448 Wilmslow Road
AreaWithington, Manchester
PostcodeM20 3BW
DirectionsOpen in Google Maps →
Getting there
The nearest station is Burton Road (tram stop), about 15 minutes' walk away. You'll find Fuel Cafe Bar in Withington, Manchester; M20 3BW is the postcode for sat-nav and ride apps. Check the venue's website for parking and the nearest station.
Open mics nearby
Wallop Prestwich, The Silly Country, Fox & Pine and The Alexandra
Station data: NaPTAN, Department for Transport (Open Government Licence).
Planning Your Monday Night
Arrive by 19:30 to sign up for a slot. The open mic runs until about 22:30. Fuel Cafe Bar provides a PA system; no in-house sound engineer — check the rest with the venue.
The scene Live music in Manchesterthe venues, the gigs and where it happensGet gigs How to get gigs in Manchesterpay, venues that book, how to pitchBands Find a band in Manchesteracts to book or play alongsideGigs Upcoming gigs in Manchesterevery 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. A night in the Manchester live music scene.
Common Questions
9 questions people ask before going to Manchester's Fuel Cafe Bar open mic.
Walk-in sign-up only, opens at 19:30. Arrive early — slots fill on the night. See other Manchester open mic nights for alternatives.
Fuel Cafe Bar provides a PA system; no in-house sound engineer — check the rest with the venue.
10 minutes per act — typically 3 songs solo.
No entry fee is listed for Fuel Cafe Bar's open mic - most open mics are free to play and to watch, but check with the venue before you go. Browse Manchester open mics.
Ask the host before bringing a full band — solo and duo acts are the usual open-mic format.
448 Wilmslow Road, Withington, Manchester M20 3BW.
Mostly fellow musicians, friends and Manchester regulars across the Manchester open mic scene. Manchester open mic crowds tend to listen attentively.
The nearest station is Burton Road (tram stop), about 15 minutes' walk away. For sat-nav and taxis, the postcode is M20 3BW. (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. Browse other Manchester open mics.
What’s On at Fuel Cafe Bar
The gigs coming up at Fuel Cafe Bar besides the open mic, from the GigXchange directory — each one links its listing.
DEC
2
Eyam
Manchester
- Entry—
- Tickets—
- AgeAll ages
- GenreIndie Rock, Folk, Singer-Songwriter
View details›
DEC
4
Lagoon
Manchester
- Entry—
- Tickets—
- AgeAll ages
- GenreFunction / Covers
View details›
DEC
5
The Funkin Little Disco Club
Manchester
- Entry—
- Tickets—
- AgeAll ages
- GenrePop, Soul, Funk
View details›
MAR
18
Maunder's School Of Popular Music at Fuel 2027
Manchester
- Entry—
- Tickets—
- AgeAll ages
- GenrePop
View details›
DEC
2
Eyam
Manchester
- Entry—
- Tickets—
- AgeAll ages
- GenreIndie Rock, Folk, Singer-Songwriter
View details›
DEC
4
Lagoon
Manchester
- Entry—
- Tickets—
- AgeAll ages
- GenreFunction / Covers
View details›
DEC
5
The Funkin Little Disco Club
Manchester
- Entry—
- Tickets—
- AgeAll ages
- GenrePop, Soul, Funk
View details›
MAR
18
Maunder's School Of Popular Music at Fuel 2027
Manchester
- Entry—
- Tickets—
- AgeAll ages
- GenrePop
View details›
08 — Keep up with Manchester
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Fuel Cafe Bar open mic in brief. The Fuel Cafe Bar open mic runs every other Monday from 19:30 (no fee listed); sign-up opens 19:30 and slots run about 10 minutes. Coming back with a full band? Fuel Cafe Bar’s venue page has its kit and capacity listed. The open mics near Manchester are listed by day, for another night this week.
Booking or playing in Manchester? 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 Manchester open mics
All ›Want paid gigs instead of open mics? See Manchester gigs or check the going rate.
10 — What's on at Fuel Cafe Bar
All ›
EyamWednesday, 2 December 2026
LagoonFriday, 4 December 2026
The Funkin Little Disco ClubSaturday, 5 December 2026
Maunder's School Of Popular Music at Fuel 2027Thursday, 18 March 2027EyamWednesday, 2 December 2026LagoonFriday, 4 December 2026The Funkin Little Disco ClubSaturday, 5 December 2026Maunder's School Of Popular Music at Fuel 2027Thursday, 18 March 2027Rooms near Fuel Cafe Bar: Cafe Blah, Fuel Café Bar, 9inety6ix, Aatma, Albert Hall, Albert Halls Bolton, Albert's Schloss, Amber's, Arley Hall And Gardens, Aviva Studios - Warehouse, Band on the Wall and Big Hands.
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