The Barley Mow is a cosy backstreet local at 39 Castle Road, Southsea (Portsmouth), and a perennial favourite for first-time performers. It hosts the Alleycats Open Mic on the 1st and 3rd Sunday of each month, starting at 6:45pm. Like its sister Alleycats night at the Admiral Drake, the format has run since 1997: a fully featured PA with leads, a house acoustic guitar if you need one, three songs per act (occasionally more, never less), and no pre-booking — just arrive early to get on the list. Musicians, singers, poets and spoken-word performers are all welcome, and the supportive crowd makes it a great spot to play your first gig. It's a busy, fun night of local music in a proper pub. Check the Barley Mow's Facebook page to confirm the next Alleycats Sunday before heading over.
Southsea · Every other Sunday · Free
Southsea's sunday-night free open mic at The Barley Mow — PA + vocal mic, walk-in sign-up from 7pm, 15-minute slots, all ages.
Kick-off 18:45, sign-up from 19:00. 15-minute slots. Free entry.
Nearby open micsUpdated 13 November 2026
Sundays
| Night | Every other Sunday |
| Sign-up | 19:00 walk-in |
| Slot | 15 min |
| Entry | Free · all ages |
| Backline | PA provided |
| Capacity | – |
| Performer types | Musicians · Poets · Spoken word artists |
| Status | Verified running |
| Last checked | 30 Sept 2026 |
| Checked against | Music directory |
The nearest station is Southsea Hoverport (rail station), about 10 minutes' walk away.
| PA system | Provided |
| Drum kit | TBC |
| Guitar amp | Provided |
| Bass amp | TBC |
| Keys / keyboard | TBC |
| Vocal mics | TBC |
| In-house engineer | TBC |
Alleycats Open Mic at The Barley Mow on Castle Road has been a Southsea institution since 1997, running on the first and third Sunday of each month, 6:45pm till 11pm. It is a warm, properly run community night for musicians, singers, poets and spoken-word performers - three songs per act (occasionally more, never less), and no favouritism on the list. There is a fully featured PA with leads and a house acoustic guitar if you need it; no pre-booking, just turn up early enough to get on the list. Free entry, all welcome.
The Barley Mow is a cosy backstreet local at 39 Castle Road, Southsea (Portsmouth), and a perennial favourite for first-time performers. It hosts the Alleycats Open Mic on the 1st and 3rd Sunday of each month, starting at 6:45pm. Like its sister Alleycats night at the Admiral Drake, the format has run since 1997: a fully featured PA with leads, a house acoustic guitar if you need one, three songs per act (occasionally more, never less), and no pre-booking — just arrive early to get on the list. Musicians, singers, poets and spoken-word performers are all welcome, and the supportive crowd makes it a great spot to play your first gig. It's a busy, fun night of local music in a proper pub. Check the Barley Mow's Facebook page to confirm the next Alleycats Sunday before heading over.
One tap. It tells the next act what to expect.
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| 04 | Update backline and capacity |
The Barley Mow Open Mic
Southsea's sunday-night free open mic at The Barley Mow — PA + vocal mic, walk-in sign-up from 7pm, 15-minute slots, all ages.
- Sunday
- Open mic night
- Apr 2026
- Listed since
- 30 Sept
- Last verified
- Free
- Entry
- 15 min
- Slot length
- Verified
- Listing status
Last updated: 13 November 2026
The Barley Mow Open Mic — Quick Facts
The Barley Mow Open Mic runs on Sundays (fortnightly) at The Barley Mow in Southsea, starting at 18:45 with sign-up from 19:00. Below: when it runs, sign-up and slots, the stage kit and how to get there.
The night starts at 18:45 and runs to about 23:00. Sign-up is on the night from 19:00 - get there early to get a slot. Each act gets about 15 minutes, so the night holds around 17 acts. A PA is listed; check what else is on stage before you bring a band.
What’s on in Southsea this week — or see what’s on across the UK.
About This Open Mic
Alleycats Open Mic at The Barley Mow on Castle Road has been a Southsea institution since 1997, running on the first and third Sunday of each month, 6:45pm till 11pm. It is a warm, properly run community night for musicians, singers, poets and spoken-word performers - three songs per act (occasionally more, never less), and no favouritism on the list. There is a fully featured PA with leads and a house acoustic guitar if you need it; no pre-booking, just turn up early enough to get on the list. Free entry, all welcome.
Equipment and backline at this venue — what's on stage, verified regularly.
The Night at a Glance
How The Barley Mow’s Sunday night runs.
Every other Sunday
Southsea, PO5 3DE - the map is below.
The Barley Mow provides a PA system and a guitar amp — check the rest with the venue.
Get there by 19:00 for a slot, have your instrument tuned before your turn and keep to about 15 minutes.
Find The Barley Mow
Southsea PO5 3DE
The nearest station is Southsea Hoverport (rail station), about 10 minutes' walk away. The Barley Mow is in Southsea — use PO5 3DE for sat-nav, taxis and ride apps. Check the venue's website for parking and the nearest station before you set off.
The Three Tuns, The Jolly Sailor Southsea, The Admiral Drake and The Loft
Station data: NaPTAN, Department for Transport (Open Government Licence).
Planning Your Sunday Night
Be there by 19:00 to put your name down. The open mic runs until about 23:00. The Barley Mow provides a PA system and a guitar amp — check the rest with the venue.
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 Southsea live music scene.
Common Questions
9 things people want to know before Southsea's The Barley Mow open mic.
Venues Near The Barley Mow
No other gigs are listed at The Barley Mow in the GigXchange directory yet — these are the rooms around it, their size, kit and live nights.
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The Barley Mow open mic in brief. The Barley Mow open mic runs every other Sunday from 18:45 (free entry); sign-up opens 19:00 and slots run about 15 minutes. Coming back with a full band? The Barley Mow’s venue page has its kit and capacity listed. The open mics near Southsea are listed by day, for another night this week.
Booking or playing in Southsea? 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 Southsea gigs or check the going rate.
More rooms near The Barley Mow: Staggeringly Good Brewery, The Deco, The Fifth Hants Volunteer Arms, The Gaiety, The Jolly Sailor Southsea, The Loft, Wedgewood Rooms, Fareham Live, O'Neill's Southsea, Pitt St Skatepark and Portsmouth Guildhall.
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