Billy Bootleggers is an American-style dive bar tucked under Arch 2 on Stepney Bank in Newcastle's Ouseburn quarter (NE1 2NP). It puts on free live music several days a week, with a steady run of rockabilly, country, blues, R&B and rock 'n' roll acts — the long-running 'Rockabilly Bootleggers' Sunday session opens from around 12pm with live bands from 3pm until late, no ticket required. Behind the bar there are draught beers and ciders, a deep bourbon list (including Billy's own brews) and a full Long Island iced-tea menu, with food from Pattymelts. A solid in-house PA supports both original acts and covers, making it a welcoming spot for emerging talent in the city's grassroots scene.
Ouseburn · Every Monday · Free
Billy Bootleggers Open Mic
Newcastle open mic at Billy Bootleggers — listed on Google Places. Schedule details below are pending venue confirmation; check the venue's own listings before turning up.
Open mic at a glance Billy Bootleggers · Newcastle
Monday
Open mic night
Apr 2026
Listed since
06 Aug
Last verified
Free
Entry
12 min
Slot length
Verified
Listing status
Run a Newcastle open mic? List it free — verified within 48 hours
Last updated: 6 August 2026
Billy Bootleggers Open Mic — Quick Facts
Newcastle open mic at Billy Bootleggers — listed on Google Places. Schedule details below are pending venue confirmation; check the venue's own listings before turning up.
✓ Verified activeLast verified
The Details
Everything you need before you turn up
DayMonday
Start20:00
Sign-up19:30 walk-in
Slot length12 min
EntryFree · 18+
Capacity–
Performer typesMusic
Sound engineerBYO / hire on the night
View on map
Where
Billy BootleggersArch 2 Stepney Bank
Ouseburn
Newcastle NE1 2NP
Ouseburn, Newcastle — check venue website for parking and nearest station.
Contact
Walk-in sign-up only
No advance booking
Host: in-house team
Highlights
Free entry for all
PA system provided
Walk-in sign-up
Music welcome
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 and we'll re-verify within 48 hours.
What’s on in Newcastle this week — or see what’s on across the UK.
About Billy Bootleggers
About This Open Mic
Every Monday in Ouseburn, Newcastle
Kicks off at 20:00, sign-up from 19:30
Free entry for performers and audience
12-minute slots
PA provided — BYO instrument
Part of the Newcastle open mic directory
The Night
Billy Bootleggers is an American-style dive bar tucked into a railway arch on Stepney Bank in Newcastle's Ouseburn. The free open mic runs every Monday, hosted by Glenn Lambie, pulling in loads of local talent in a busy, no-frills room. The venue provides the PA and a guitar if you need one, and you can still sign up on the night — no ticket required.
What's on stage — equipment and backline at this venue, verified regularly.
PA + monitors
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer
The Night at a Glance
How Billy Bootleggers’s Monday night runs.
19:30Sign-up
20:00Kick-off
00:00Last songs
Every Monday 12-min slots Free entry
Find Billy Bootleggers
Arch 2 Stepney Bank, Ouseburn, Newcastle NE1 2NP
Planning Your Monday Night
Arrive by 19:30 to sign up for a slot. Entry is free and the open mic typically runs until 00:00. A PA is provided — bring your own instrument and amp.
Part of the Newcastle live music scene.
What should you charge for paid gigs?Most open mic musicians are ready for paid work sooner than they think. Check live UK rates by role, city, and venue size.
Try the Rate CalculatorCommon Questions
Seven things people ask before turning up at Newcastle's Billy Bootleggers open mic.
Walk-in sign-up only, opens at 19:30. Arrive early — slots fill on the night. See other Newcastle open mic nights for alternatives.
PA + vocal mic provided. BYO instrument and amp.
12 minutes per act — typically 3 songs solo.
Yes — free entry for performers and audience. Most Newcastle mics are free; browse the list.
Solo and duo acts work best given the gear available; ask the host before bringing a full band.
Arch 2 Stepney Bank, Ouseburn, Newcastle NE1 2NP.
Mostly fellow musicians, friends and Newcastle regulars across the Newcastle open mic scene. Newcastle open mic crowds tend to listen attentively.
Keep up with Newcastle
One email a week with live music near you. Free, and it keeps grassroots rooms full.
Help keep grassroots venues open in Newcastle
—A UK venue stops hosting live music every 5 days — and turning up is what keeps a room open. Get a free weekly email of gigs in Newcastle. Unsubscribe any time. Privacy.
See what’s on in Newcastle over the next four weeks →
Booking or playing in Newcastle? 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.
Run an open mic in Newcastle?
Add yours to the directory free. 2-minute submission, verified within 48 hours. Reach 1,000+ Newcastle musicians.
Looking for paid gigs, not open mics?