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: fresh live bands every Friday and two live bands every Saturday night, with resident DJs keeping the party going afterwards, while 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.
Newcastle · Every Monday · No fee listed
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.
Next night: Mon 16 Nov. Kick-off 20:00, sign-up from 19:30. 12-minute slots. No fee listed.
Nearby open micsUpdated 13 November 2026
Mondays
| Night | Every Monday |
| Sign-up | 19:30 walk-in |
| Slot | 12 min |
| Entry | No fee listed · 18+ |
| Backline | PA provided |
| Capacity | – |
| Performer types | Musicians |
| Status | Verified running |
| Last checked | 29 Oct 2026 |
| Checked against | Ticket listing |
Ouseburn, Newcastle NE1 2NP
The nearest station is Manors (Metro station), about 10 minutes' walk away.
| PA system | Provided |
| Drum kit | TBC |
| Guitar amp | TBC |
| Bass amp | TBC |
| Keys / keyboard | TBC |
| Vocal mics | TBC |
| In-house engineer | TBC |
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.
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: fresh live bands every Friday and two live bands every Saturday night, with resident DJs keeping the party going afterwards, while 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.
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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.
- Monday
- Open mic night
- Apr 2026
- Listed since
- 29 Oct
- Last verified
- No fee
- Entry
- 12 min
- Slot length
- Verified
- Listing status
Last updated: 13 November 2026
Billy Bootleggers Open Mic — Quick Facts
Billy Bootleggers Open Mic runs on Mondays at Billy Bootleggers in Newcastle, 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.
The night starts at 20:00 and runs to about 00:00. It's walk-in sign-up, with the list opening at 19:30 - arrive early to get a slot. Slots run about 12 minutes - room for roughly 20 acts. A PA is listed; check what else is on stage before you bring a band.
What’s on in Newcastle this week — or see what’s on across the UK.
About This Open Mic
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.
The Night at a Glance
How Billy Bootleggers’s Monday night runs.
Every Monday
Mon 16 Nov · Mon 23 Nov · Mon 30 Nov
Billy Bootleggers provides a PA system — check the rest with the venue.
Get there by 19:30 for a slot, have your instrument tuned before your turn and keep to about 12 minutes.
Find Billy Bootleggers
Arch 2 Stepney Bank, Ouseburn, Newcastle NE1 2NP
The nearest station is Manors (Metro station), about 10 minutes' walk away. Billy Bootleggers is in Ouseburn, Newcastle — use NE1 2NP for sat-nav, taxis and ride apps. Check the venue's website for parking and the nearest station before you set off.
Station data: NaPTAN, Department for Transport (Open Government Licence).
Planning Your Monday Night
Get there by 19:30 to sign up for a slot. The open mic runs until about 00:00. Billy Bootleggers provides a PA system — check the rest with the venue.
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 Newcastle live music scene.
Common Questions
9 things people ask before turning up at Newcastle's Billy Bootleggers open mic.
What’s On at Billy Bootleggers
The gigs coming up at Billy Bootleggers besides the open mic, from the GigXchange directory — each one links its listing.
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Billy Bootleggers open mic in brief. The Billy Bootleggers open mic runs every Monday from 20:00 (no fee listed); sign-up opens 19:30 and slots run about 12 minutes. Billy Bootleggers’ 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 Newcastle are listed by day.
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.
Want paid gigs instead of open mics? See Newcastle gigs or check the going rate.
The Mystery Train Riders - Live @ Billy'sFriday, 13 November 2026
The Goodness - Friday Nights @ Billy'sFriday, 13 November 2026
Creakin' Bones and The Sunday Dinners - Live @ Billy'sSaturday, 14 November 2026
The Half Hand Hoodoo Blues Band - Live @ Billy'sSaturday, 14 November 2026The Pleasing - Saturday Nights @ Billy'sSaturday, 14 November 2026The Mystery Train Riders - Live @ Billy'sFriday, 13 November 2026The Goodness - Friday Nights @ Billy'sFriday, 13 November 2026Creakin' Bones and The Sunday Dinners - Live @ Billy'sSaturday, 14 November 2026The Half Hand Hoodoo Blues Band - Live @ Billy'sSaturday, 14 November 2026The Pleasing - Saturday Nights @ Billy'sSaturday, 14 November 2026More dates at Billy Bootleggers: Prehistoric Sounds Presents: The Razerbills + The Dry Retch, MFC Chicken and Blue Star Country Band.
Rooms near Billy Bootleggers: Little Buildings Venue And Rehearsal Rooms, The Cluny, The Cumberland Arms, The Tyne Bar, Anarchy Brew Co, Associates Private Club, Bar Loco, Blues Underground, Boiler Shop, Bridge Hotel, Buzz Bingo Newcastle and Cafe Under the Spire.
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