The Butler at 85-91 Chatham Street is one of Reading's most popular pubs for live music (RG1 7DS), known for a welcoming atmosphere and a thriving scene of local talent and touring acts. Free live music plays every Friday and Saturday, and the pub runs a well-known open mic night that draws musicians from across Berkshire (hosted by Nicole Allan). Entry to gigs is always free — a genuine grassroots, PA-equipped room where covers and original acts share the stage.
Reading · Every Friday · No fee listed
The Butler Open Mic
Reading open mic at The Butler — listed on Google Places. Schedule below pending venue confirmation; check the venue's own listings before turning up.
Next night: Fri 13 Nov. Kick-off 19:30, sign-up from 19:30. 12-minute slots. No fee listed.
Nearby open micsUpdated 13 November 2026
At a glance
Checked 1 Sept 202619:30
Kick-off
Fridays
sign-up from 19:30Fridays
| Night | Every Friday |
| Sign-up | 19:30 walk-in |
| Slot | 12 min |
| Entry | No fee listed · 18+ |
| Backline | PA provided |
01 — Inside the room
4 photosPhotos: Google
151
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 | Verified running |
| Last checked | 1 Sept 2026 |
| Checked against | Web listing |
03 — The night
Every FridayHow the night runs
19:30
Kick-off
FridaysRunning order
19:30 Kick-off· 12-minute slots
01:00 Venue closes
04 — Find The Butler
ReadingGetting there
85-91 Chatham St,
Reading RG1 7DS
Reading RG1 7DS
The nearest station is Reading West (rail station), about 10 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
ReadingAbout the night
The Butler on Chatham Street is one of Reading's most welcoming open-mic spaces, and every Friday from 7:30pm it comes alive with music, poetry and comedy. Hosted by Nicole Allan, it's a genuinely non-judgemental room where everyone from first-timers to seasoned acts is welcome — acoustic singer-songwriters, bands, poets and comedians all share the floor. Free entry.
Getting there
85-91 Chatham St, Reading RG1 7DS.
The Butler at 85-91 Chatham Street is one of Reading's most popular pubs for live music (RG1 7DS), known for a welcoming atmosphere and a thriving scene of local talent and touring acts. Free live music plays every Friday and Saturday, and the pub runs a well-known open mic night that draws musicians from across Berkshire (hosted by Nicole Allan). Entry to gigs is always free — a genuine grassroots, PA-equipped room where covers and original acts share the stage.
Played here before?One tap
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| 04 | Update backline and capacity |
Reading · Every Friday
The Butler Open Mic
Reading open mic at The Butler — listed on Google Places. Schedule below pending venue confirmation; check the venue's own listings before turning up.
- Friday
- Open mic night
- Apr 2026
- Listed since
- 1 Sept
- Last verified
- No fee
- Entry
- 12 min
- Slot length
- Verified
- Listing status
Run a Reading open mic? List it free — reviewed before it goes live
Last updated: 13 November 2026
The Butler Open Mic — Quick Facts
The Butler Open Mic runs on Fridays at The Butler in Reading, 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 1 Sept 2026
How sure we are
Verified active
Checked against the venue’s own listing See The Butler’s venue page →
Music starts around 19:30. It's walk-in sign-up, with the list opening at 19:30 - arrive early to get a slot. Slots run about 12 minutes. There is a PA listed - ask what else is on stage before you load in.
Next nightFri 13 Nov · 19:30Starts in 11h 53m 50s
Age18+
Sign-upWalk-in on the night
Who playsMusicians · Poets · Comedians
BacklinePA provided
Sound engineerAsk the venue
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.
NightFridayEvery FridayNext: Fri 13 Nov
Starts19:30start time
Sign-up19:30Walk-in
Slots12minutes each
What’s on in Reading this week — or see what’s on across the UK.
About This Open Mic
The Butler on Chatham Street is one of Reading's most welcoming open-mic spaces, and every Friday from 7:30pm it comes alive with music, poetry and comedy. Hosted by Nicole Allan, it's a genuinely non-judgemental room where everyone from first-timers to seasoned acts is welcome — acoustic singer-songwriters, bands, poets and comedians all share the floor. Free entry.
Getting there
85-91 Chatham St, Reading RG1 7DS.
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 Butler’s Friday night runs.
Next nightFri 13 Nov · 19:30Starts in 11h 53m 50s
Sign-up opens · Kick-off19:30Walk-in on the night
Venue closes01:00The listed closing time
Slots12minutes each
How often
Every Friday
Coming up
Fri 13 Nov · Fri 20 Nov · Fri 27 Nov
Kit
The Butler provides a PA system — 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 12 minutes.
Find The Butler
85-91 Chatham St, Reading RG1 7DS
Address85-91 Chatham St
AreaReading
PostcodeRG1 7DS
DirectionsOpen in Google Maps →
Getting there
The nearest station is Reading West (rail station), about 10 minutes' walk away. The Butler is in Reading — use RG1 7DS 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
Corn Exchange, The Rising Sun Arts Centre, The Plough and The New Inn
Station data: NaPTAN, Department for Transport (Open Government Licence).
Planning Your Friday Night
Be there by 19:30 to put your name down. The Butler provides a PA system — check the rest with the venue.
The scene Live music in Readingthe venues, the gigs and where it happensGet gigs How to get gigs in Readingpay, venues that book, how to pitchBands Find a band in Readingacts to book or play alongsideGigs Upcoming gigs in Readingevery listing, sorted by dateArtists Browse artist profilesfind acts to play or collaborate withOpen mics UK Open Mic Finderfree stage time, night by night
How much should paid gigs pay you? Most open mic musicians are ready sooner than they think — try the Rate Calculator for live UK rates by role, city and venue size. Part of the Reading live music scene.
Common Questions
9 questions people ask before going to Reading's The Butler open mic.
Walk-in sign-up only, opens at 19:30. Arrive early — slots fill on the night. See other Reading open mic nights for alternatives.
The Butler provides a PA system — check the rest with the venue.
12 minutes per act — typically 3 songs solo.
No entry fee is listed for The Butler's open mic - most open mics are free to play and to watch, but check with the venue before you go. Browse Reading open mics.
Ask the host before bringing a full band — solo and duo acts are the usual open-mic format.
85-91 Chatham St, Reading RG1 7DS.
Mostly fellow musicians, friends and Reading regulars across the Reading open mic scene. Reading open mic crowds tend to listen attentively.
The nearest station is Reading West (rail station), about 10 minutes' walk away. For sat-nav and taxis, the postcode is RG1 7DS. (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 Reading open mics.
Venues Near The Butler
No other gigs are listed at The Butler in the GigXchange directory yet — these are the rooms around it, their size, kit and live nights.
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See what’s on in Reading over the next four weeks →
The Butler open mic in brief. The Butler open mic runs every Friday from 19:30 (no fee listed); sign-up opens 19:30 and slots run about 12 minutes. Coming back with a full band? The Butler’s venue page has its kit and capacity listed. For another night this week, the open mics near Reading are listed by day.
Booking or playing in Reading? 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 Reading open mics
All ›Want paid gigs instead of open mics? See Reading gigs or check the going rate.
10 — Venues near The Butler
All ›More rooms near The Butler: The Club Bar and Lounge, The Fisherman's Cottage, The Lyndhurst, The Old London Apprentice, The Rising Sun Arts Centre, ACE Space Newbury, Bier Keller, London Road Campus, McCafferty's Bar, Oakford Social Club and Pangbourne Working Mens Club.
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