The Dun Cow is a Grade II listed Edwardian 'gin palace' at 9 High Street West in Sunderland's Culture Quarter (SR1 3HA), next to the Empire Theatre. Built in 1901 with a dramatic copper-domed corner turret and one of the most stunning bar-backs in Britain, it was National Winner in the 2015 Pub Design Awards. It hosts live music — including a Buskers Night every other Tuesday — and in 2021 converted its upstairs restaurant into an entertainment and comedy space. A characterful, heritage-rich venue at the heart of the city's nightlife, serving a home-cooked menu daily alongside its gigs.
Sunderland · Every other Tuesday · No fee listed
The Dun Cow Open Mic
Sunderland open mic at The Dun Cow — listed on Google Places. Schedule details below are pending venue confirmation; check the venue's own listings before turning up.
Kick-off 19:30, sign-up from 19:30. 10-minute slots. No fee listed.
Nearby open micsUpdated 13 November 2026
At a glance
Checked 9 Sept 202619:30
Kick-off
Tuesdays
sign-up from 19:30Tuesdays
| Night | Every other Tuesday |
| Sign-up | 19:30 walk-in |
| Slot | 10 min |
| Entry | No fee listed · 18+ |
| Backline | PA provided |
01 — Inside the room
4 photosPhotos: Google
214
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 |
| Website | culturequarter.com |
The check
| Status | Verified running |
| Last checked | 9 Sept 2026 |
| Checked against | Web listing |
03 — The night
Every other TuesdayHow the night runs
Every other Tuesday
Check the date before you goRunning order
19:30 Kick-off· 10-minute slots
23:00 Venue closes
04 — Find The Dun Cow
SunderlandGetting there
9 High St W,
Sunderland SR1 3HA
Sunderland SR1 3HA
The nearest station is Sunderland (Metro station), about 5 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
SunderlandAbout the night
The Dun Cow is a beautiful Grade II city-centre pub on High Street West, right by the Empire Theatre and opposite the Minster. Its Buskers Night open mic runs every other Tuesday from 7:30pm, hosted by Sunderland musician Beccy Young (This Little Bird) - a warm, no-judgement room with a guitar on hand so you can just turn up and play. It's free to perform and there's a free pint in it for you. The night made the Sunderland Echo in May 2026 when Radio 1's Greg James dropped in for a singalong. The pub also programmes regular live music, a comedy club upstairs and a Friday-afternoon ukulele group.
Sign-up process
No booking required - turn up on the night and put your name down. Next listed date on Sunderland Music City: Tuesday 22 September 2026, 7:30pm.
Getting there
9 High Street West, Sunderland SR1 3HA - a couple of minutes from Sunderland station and the Minster.
The Dun Cow is a Grade II listed Edwardian 'gin palace' at 9 High Street West in Sunderland's Culture Quarter (SR1 3HA), next to the Empire Theatre. Built in 1901 with a dramatic copper-domed corner turret and one of the most stunning bar-backs in Britain, it was National Winner in the 2015 Pub Design Awards. It hosts live music — including a Buskers Night every other Tuesday — and in 2021 converted its upstairs restaurant into an entertainment and comedy space. A characterful, heritage-rich venue at the heart of the city's nightlife, serving a home-cooked menu daily alongside its gigs.
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| 04 | Update backline and capacity |
Sunderland · Every other Tuesday
The Dun Cow Open Mic
Sunderland open mic at The Dun Cow — listed on Google Places. Schedule details below are pending venue confirmation; check the venue's own listings before turning up.
- Tuesday
- Open mic night
- Apr 2026
- Listed since
- 9 Sept
- Last verified
- No fee
- Entry
- 10 min
- Slot length
- Verified
- Listing status
Run a Sunderland open mic? List it free — reviewed before it goes live
Last updated: 13 November 2026
The Dun Cow Open Mic — Quick Facts
The Dun Cow Open Mic runs on Tuesdays (fortnightly) at The Dun Cow in Sunderland, 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 9 Sept 2026
How sure we are
Verified active
Checked against the venue’s own listing See The Dun Cow’s venue page →
The night starts at 19:30. It's walk-in sign-up, with the list opening at 19:30 - arrive early to get a slot. Each act gets about 10 minutes. A PA is listed; check what else is on stage before you bring a band.
Age18+
Sign-upWalk-in on the night
BacklinePA provided
Sound engineerAsk the venue
Directory statusVerified active
Member votes0 to get the venue on GigXchange
Websiteculturequarter.com
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.
NightTuesdayEvery other Tuesday
Starts19:30start time
Sign-up19:30Walk-in
Slots10minutes each
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About This Open Mic
The Dun Cow is a beautiful Grade II city-centre pub on High Street West, right by the Empire Theatre and opposite the Minster. Its Buskers Night open mic runs every other Tuesday from 7:30pm, hosted by Sunderland musician Beccy Young (This Little Bird) - a warm, no-judgement room with a guitar on hand so you can just turn up and play. It's free to perform and there's a free pint in it for you. The night made the Sunderland Echo in May 2026 when Radio 1's Greg James dropped in for a singalong. The pub also programmes regular live music, a comedy club upstairs and a Friday-afternoon ukulele group.
Sign-up process
No booking required - turn up on the night and put your name down. Next listed date on Sunderland Music City: Tuesday 22 September 2026, 7:30pm.
Getting there
9 High Street West, Sunderland SR1 3HA - a couple of minutes from Sunderland station and the Minster.
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 Dun Cow’s Tuesday night runs.
Sign-up opens · Kick-off19:30Walk-in on the night
Venue closes23:00The listed closing time
Slots10minutes each
How often
Every other Tuesday
Getting there
Sunderland, SR1 3HA - the map is below.
Kit
The Dun Cow provides a PA system — check the rest with the venue.
First time here?
Arrive for 19:30 to get your name on the list, tune up before you go on, and plan a set that fits 10 minutes.
Find The Dun Cow
9 High St W, Sunderland SR1 3HA
Address9 High St W
AreaSunderland
PostcodeSR1 3HA
DirectionsOpen in Google Maps →
Getting there
The nearest station is Sunderland (Metro station), about 5 minutes' walk away. You'll find The Dun Cow in Sunderland; SR1 3HA is the postcode for sat-nav and ride apps. Check the venue's website for parking and the nearest station.
Station data: NaPTAN, Department for Transport (Open Government Licence).
Planning Your Tuesday Night
Be there by 19:30 to put your name down. The Dun Cow provides a PA system — check the rest with the venue.
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Common Questions
9 things people want to know before Sunderland's The Dun Cow open mic.
Walk-in sign-up only, opens at 19:30. Arrive early — slots fill on the night. See other Sunderland open mic nights for alternatives.
The Dun Cow provides a PA system — check the rest with the venue.
10 minutes per act — typically 3 songs solo.
No entry fee is listed for The Dun Cow's open mic - most open mics are free to play and to watch, but check with the venue before you go. Browse Sunderland open mics.
Ask the host before bringing a full band — solo and duo acts are the usual open-mic format.
9 High St W, Sunderland SR1 3HA.
Mostly fellow musicians, friends and Sunderland regulars across the Sunderland open mic scene. Sunderland open mic crowds tend to listen attentively.
The nearest station is Sunderland (Metro station), about 5 minutes' walk away. For sat-nav and taxis, the postcode is SR1 3HA. (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 - the venue's own website is linked on this page. Browse other Sunderland open mics.
Venues Near The Dun Cow
No other gigs are listed at The Dun Cow in the GigXchange directory yet — these are the rooms around it, their size, kit and live nights.
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The Dun Cow open mic in brief. The Dun Cow open mic runs every other Tuesday from 19:30 (no fee listed); sign-up opens 19:30 and slots run about 10 minutes. The Dun Cow’s 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 Sunderland are listed by day.
Booking or playing in Sunderland? 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.
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09 — More Sunderland open mics
All ›Want paid gigs instead of open mics? See Sunderland gigs or check the going rate.
10 — Venues near The Dun Cow
All ›More rooms near The Dun Cow: The Peacock, The Secret Garden Pub, The Ship Isis, Diego's Joint, Harbour View Pub, Herrington Country Park, Horden Comrades Social Club, Low Lights Tavern, Pop Recs, South Shields Folk Club (South Tyneside Indoor Bowls and Social Club) and STACK Seaburn.
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