The Lab is a long-running grassroots music venue and community hub at 95–97 Charles Street, Northampton (NN1 3BG). Formerly the Charles Street Labour Club, it was refurbished and rebranded as The Lab in 2015 and has traded as a members' music club for 30-plus years. Run by a committee of local music lovers, it hosts gigs across all genres alongside spoken word, art and discussion nights, with a capacity of around 100, a well-stocked bar and a working kitchen. Family-friendly daytime events and an Independent Venue Week regular, it's a genuine independent room for up-close, authentic live music.
Northampton · Monthly on Wednesdays · No fee listed
THE LAB Open Mic
Northampton open mic at THE LAB — listed on Google Places. Schedule details below are pending venue confirmation; check the venue's own listings before turning up.
Kick-off 20:00. No fee listed.
Nearby open micsUpdated 13 November 2026
At a glance
Checked 6 Nov 202620:00
Kick-off
Wednesdays
sign-up on the nightWednesdays
| Night | Monthly on Wednesdays |
| Sign-up | Ask the host |
| Slot | Ask the host |
| Entry | No fee listed · 18+ |
| Backline | PA provided |
01 — Inside the room
4 photosPhotos: Google
311
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 · Comedians |
The check
| Status | Being verified |
Help keep this trueOne tap
Is this night still on?
No sign-up. We review corrections within 7 days.
03 — The night
Monthly on WednesdaysHow the night runs
Once a month · Wednesdays
Check the date before you goRunning order
20:00 Kick-off
23:30 Close (tbc)
Times marked tbc aren't confirmed yet - we're working to find out.
04 — Find THE LAB
NorthamptonGetting there
95-97 Charles St,
Northampton NN1 3BG
Northampton NN1 3BG
The nearest station is Northampton (rail station), about 20 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
NorthamptonAbout the night
THE LAB is a creative community hub on Charles Street in Northampton, and it hosts more than one open mic a month. The long-running Bardic Open Mic is a monthly spoken-word and poetry evening hosted by Nathan Jones, with free entry; there's also the Good Vibes Open Mic — a warmer, anything-goes monthly night for music, spoken word and comedy hosted by Afreine (free for members, £1 for everyone else). It's a genuinely inclusive, no-pressure room rather than a polished showcase, so bring a poem, a song or just your ears.
The Lab is a long-running grassroots music venue and community hub at 95–97 Charles Street, Northampton (NN1 3BG). Formerly the Charles Street Labour Club, it was refurbished and rebranded as The Lab in 2015 and has traded as a members' music club for 30-plus years. Run by a committee of local music lovers, it hosts gigs across all genres alongside spoken word, art and discussion nights, with a capacity of around 100, a well-stocked bar and a working kitchen. Family-friendly daytime events and an Independent Venue Week regular, it's a genuine independent room for up-close, authentic live music.
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| 04 | Update backline and capacity |
Northampton · Monthly on Wednesdays
THE LAB Open Mic
Northampton open mic at THE LAB — 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
- 6 Nov
- Last checked
- No fee
- Entry
- —
- Sign-up time
- Community
- Listing status
Run a Northampton open mic? List it free — reviewed before it goes live
Last updated: 13 November 2026
THE LAB Open Mic — Quick Facts
THE LAB Open Mic runs on Wednesdays (monthly) at THE LAB in Northampton, starting at 20:00. Below: when it runs, sign-up and slots, the stage kit and how to get there.
Open mic status Last checked 6 Nov 2026
How sure we are
Partly verified
The night starts at 20:00. A PA is listed; check what else is on stage before you bring a band.
Age18+
Who playsMusicians · Poets · Comedians
BacklinePA provided
Sound engineerAsk the venue
Directory statusBeing verified
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.
NightWednesdayMonthly on Wednesdays
Starts20:00start time
Sign-upTBCsign-upNot confirmed yet
SlotsTBCslot lengthNot confirmed yet
What’s on in Northampton this week — or see what’s on across the UK.
About This Open Mic
THE LAB is a creative community hub on Charles Street in Northampton, and it hosts more than one open mic a month. The long-running Bardic Open Mic is a monthly spoken-word and poetry evening hosted by Nathan Jones, with free entry; there's also the Good Vibes Open Mic — a warmer, anything-goes monthly night for music, spoken word and comedy hosted by Afreine (free for members, £1 for everyone else). It's a genuinely inclusive, no-pressure room rather than a polished showcase, so bring a poem, a song or just your ears.
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 LAB’s Wednesday night runs.
Sign-up opensTBCNot confirmed yet
Kick-off20:00Monthly on Wednesdays
Music endsTBCNot confirmed yet
Venue closesTBCNot confirmed yet
How often
Monthly on Wednesdays
Getting there
Northampton, NN1 3BG - the map is below.
Kit
THE LAB 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 THE LAB
95-97 Charles St, Northampton NN1 3BG
Address95-97 Charles St
AreaNorthampton
PostcodeNN1 3BG
DirectionsOpen in Google Maps →
Getting there
The nearest station is Northampton (rail station), about 20 minutes' walk away. THE LAB is in Northampton — use NN1 3BG 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
Shipmans, The Artichoke Inn, Althorp Coaching Inn and The Artizan
Station data: NaPTAN, Department for Transport (Open Government Licence).
Planning Your Wednesday Night
Arrive early to sign up for a slot. THE LAB provides a PA system — check the rest with the venue.
The scene Live music in Northamptonthe venues, the gigs and where it happensGet gigs How to get gigs in Northamptonpay, venues that book, how to pitchBands Find a band in Northamptonacts to book or play alongsideGigs Upcoming gigs in Northamptonevery 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 a paid gig? 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 Northampton live music scene.
Common Questions
9 things people want to know before Northampton's THE LAB open mic.
Sign-up via the venue. See all Northampton open mic nights.
THE LAB provides a PA system — check the rest with the venue.
Slot length varies — check with the host.
No entry fee is listed for THE LAB's open mic - most open mics are free to play and to watch, but check with the venue before you go. Browse Northampton open mics.
Ask the host before bringing a full band — solo and duo acts are the usual open-mic format.
95-97 Charles St, Northampton NN1 3BG.
Mostly fellow musicians, friends and Northampton regulars across the Northampton open mic scene. Northampton open mic crowds tend to listen attentively.
The nearest station is Northampton (rail station), about 20 minutes' walk away. For sat-nav and taxis, the postcode is NN1 3BG. (Station data: NaPTAN, Department for Transport, Open Government Licence.)
GigXchange doesn't publish venue phone numbers or emails. Browse other Northampton open mics.
What’s On at THE LAB
The gigs coming up at THE LAB besides the open mic, from the GigXchange directory — each one links its listing.
NOV
19
Gumdrop On Tour!
Northampton
- Entry—
- Tickets—
- AgeAll ages
- Genre—
View details›
DEC
18
The Freya Rose Christmas Show
Northampton
- Entry—
- Tickets—
- AgeAll ages
- Genre—
View details›
DEC
20
Modern Neutrals + Moon Haze at The Lab on
Northampton
- Entry—
- Tickets—
- AgeAll ages
- Genre—
View details›
NOV
19
Gumdrop On Tour!
Northampton
- Entry—
- Tickets—
- AgeAll ages
- Genre—
View details›
DEC
18
The Freya Rose Christmas Show
Northampton
- Entry—
- Tickets—
- AgeAll ages
- Genre—
View details›
DEC
20
Modern Neutrals + Moon Haze at The Lab on
Northampton
- Entry—
- Tickets—
- AgeAll ages
- Genre—
View details›
NOV
19
Gumdrop On Tour!
Northampton
- Entry—
- Tickets—
- AgeAll ages
- Genre—
View details›
DEC
18
The Freya Rose Christmas Show
Northampton
- Entry—
- Tickets—
- AgeAll ages
- Genre—
View details›
DEC
20
Modern Neutrals + Moon Haze at The Lab on
Northampton
- Entry—
- Tickets—
- AgeAll ages
- Genre—
View details›
08 — Keep up with Northampton
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See what’s on in Northampton over the next four weeks →
THE LAB open mic in brief. The LAB open mic runs monthly on Wednesdays from 20:00 (no fee listed). THE LAB’s venue page lists its kit and capacity if you want to come back with a full band. The open mics near Northampton are listed by day, for another night this week.
Booking or playing in Northampton? 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 Northampton open mics
All ›Want paid gigs instead of open mics? See Northampton gigs or check the going rate.
10 — What's on at THE LAB
All ›
Gumdrop On Tour!Thursday, 19 November 2026
The Freya Rose Christmas ShowFriday, 18 December 2026
Modern Neutrals + Moon Haze at The Lab onSunday, 20 December 2026Gumdrop On Tour!Thursday, 19 November 2026The Freya Rose Christmas ShowFriday, 18 December 2026Modern Neutrals + Moon Haze at The Lab onSunday, 20 December 2026Rooms near THE LAB: Olde England, Shipmans, The Artizan, The Charles Bradlaugh, The Deco, The George at Tiffield, The Phipps, The Swan & Helmet, The Wig and Pen, Althorp Coaching Inn, Black Diamond Northampton and Brasenose Arms.
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