The Castle Tap is a small, well-regarded craft-beer pub at 120 Castle Street, a short walk from Reading town centre (RG1 7RJ). It punches above its size on live music, hosting a broad variety of acts most weekends. Each month brings a recurring rhythm of grassroots sessions: an open mic (every 4th Monday — musicians, poets, comedians and storytellers welcome in a laid-back, friendly room), a sea-shanty evening and a folk night, plus community events and social clubs. Opening hours run Mon–Thu 16:00–23:00, Fri 14:00–24:00, Sat 12:00–24:00 and Sun 12:00–22:30. The intimate, acoustic-leaning setting suits singer-songwriters and traditional players over loud full bands.
Reading · Monthly on Mondays · Free
The Castle Tap Open Mic
Reading open mic at The Castle Tap — listed on Google Places. Schedule below pending venue confirmation; check the venue's own listings before turning up.
Open mic at a glance The Castle Tap · Reading
Monday
Open mic night
Apr 2026
Listed since
03 Jun
Last verified
Free
Entry
10 min
Slot length
Verified
Listing status
Run a Reading open mic? List it free — verified within 48 hours
Last updated: 3 June 2026
The Castle Tap Open Mic — Quick Facts
Reading open mic at The Castle Tap — listed on Google Places. Schedule below 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
Start19:30
Sign-up19:30
Slot length10 min
EntryFree · 18+
Capacity–
Performer typesMusic · Poetry · Comedy
Sound engineerBYO / hire on the night
View on map
Where
The Castle Tap120 Castle St
Reading RG1 7RJ
Reading — check venue website for parking and nearest station.
Highlights
Free entry for all
PA system provided
Sign-up via online
Music, Poetry, Comedy 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.
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About The Castle Tap
About This Open Mic
Monthly on Mondays in Reading
Kicks off at 19:30
Free entry for performers and audience
10-minute slots
PA provided — BYO instrument
Part of the Reading open mic directory
The Night
The Castle Tap is a cosy real-ale pub on Castle Street in Reading, a CAMRA favourite that runs live music most weekends plus a monthly folk and sea-shanty night. Its open mic lands on the 4th Monday of each month, 7:30pm to 10:30pm, and it's a warm, broad-church evening — musicians, poets, comedians and storytellers all welcome. Slots are 10 minutes and pre-bookable (with room for spontaneous turns too), admission is free, a PA is provided, and it's an 18+ room. Friendly and relaxed, with the chance to sell a bit of merch or artwork on the side.
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 The Castle Tap’s Monday night runs.
19:30Sign-up
19:30Kick-off
22:30Last songs
23:00Venue closes
Monthly on Mondays 10-min slots Free entry
Find The Castle Tap
120 Castle St, Reading RG1 7RJ
Planning Your Monday Night
Arrive by 19:30 to sign up for a slot. Entry is free and the open mic typically runs until 22:30. A PA is provided — bring your own instrument and amp.
Part of the Reading live music scene.
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Try the Rate CalculatorCommon Questions
Seven things people ask before turning up at Reading's The Castle Tap open mic.
Sign-up via online. See all Reading open mic nights.
PA + vocal mic provided. BYO instrument and amp.
10 minutes per act — typically 3 songs solo.
Yes — free entry for performers and audience. Most Reading mics are free; browse the list.
Solo and duo acts work best given the gear available; ask the host before bringing a full band.
120 Castle St, Reading RG1 7RJ.
Mostly fellow musicians, friends and Reading regulars across the Reading open mic scene. Reading open mic crowds tend to listen attentively.
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