The Saltgrass is a riverside pub on Ayres Quay, Hanover Place in Sunderland (SR4 6BY) that has built a reputation as one of the city's go-to spots for live music. It comes alive every Sunday evening from 6.30pm, hosting some of the biggest bands in the North East, alongside regular buskers and live sport through the week. In the summer the music moves outside into the spacious beer garden, where gigs are paired with outdoor pizza and barbecue facilities. A gastro menu runs Wednesday to Saturday and the kitchen is well known locally for its Sunday lunch. With a capacity of around 400, the Saltgrass sits comfortably in the mid-size end of Sunderland's grassroots circuit.
Hanover Pl · Every 1st Thursday of the month · Free
The Saltgrass Open Mic
Sunderland open mic at The Saltgrass — listed on Google Places. Schedule details below are pending venue confirmation; check the venue's own listings before turning up.
Open mic at a glance The Saltgrass · Sunderland
Thursday
Open mic night
Apr 2026
Listed since
03 Jun
Last verified
Free
Entry
15 min
Slot length
Verified
Listing status
Run a Sunderland open mic? List it free — verified within 48 hours
Last updated: 3 June 2026
The Saltgrass Open Mic — Quick Facts
Sunderland open mic at The Saltgrass — listed on Google Places. Schedule details below are pending venue confirmation; check the venue's own listings before turning up.
✓ Verified activeLast verified
The Details
Everything you need before you turn up
DayThursday
Start19:00
Sign-up19:30 walk-in
Slot length15 min
EntryFree · 18+
Capacity–
Performer typesMusic
Sound engineerBYO / hire on the night
View on map
Where
The SaltgrassAyres Quay, Hanover Pl
Hanover Pl
Sunderland SR4 6BY
Hanover Pl, Sunderland — check venue website for parking and nearest station.
Contact
Walk-in sign-up only
No advance booking
Host: in-house team
Highlights
Free entry for all
PA system provided
Walk-in sign-up
Music 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 Saltgrass
About This Open Mic
Every 1st Thursday of the month in Hanover Pl, Sunderland
Kicks off at 19:00, sign-up from 19:30
Free entry for performers and audience
15-minute slots
PA provided — BYO instrument
Part of the Sunderland open mic directory
The Night
The Saltgrass is a friendly riverside pub at Ayres Quay on Hanover Place, big on live music, buskers and sport. On the first Thursday of every month it hosts 'Klang' — Sunderland's only EMOM, an Electronic Music Open Mic running 7pm to 10:30pm in partnership with Stages: At The Venues. If you make electronic music and want to test it on a real crowd, this is the spot; expect synths and laptops rather than the usual acoustic guitars.
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 Saltgrass’s Thursday night runs.
19:30Sign-up
19:00Kick-off
22:30Last songs
22:00Venue closes
Every 1st Thursday of the month 15-min slots Free entry
Find The Saltgrass
Ayres Quay, Hanover Pl, Hanover Pl, Sunderland SR4 6BY
Planning Your Thursday 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 Sunderland live music scene.
What should you charge for paid gigs?Most open mic musicians are ready for paid work sooner than they think. Check live UK rates by role, city, and venue size.
Try the Rate CalculatorCommon Questions
Seven things people ask before turning up at Sunderland's The Saltgrass 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.
PA + vocal mic provided. BYO instrument and amp.
15 minutes per act — typically 4 songs solo.
Yes — free entry for performers and audience. Most Sunderland mics are free; browse the list.
Solo and duo acts work best given the gear available; ask the host before bringing a full band.
Ayres Quay, Hanover Pl, Hanover Pl, Sunderland SR4 6BY.
Mostly fellow musicians, friends and Sunderland regulars across the Sunderland open mic scene. Sunderland open mic crowds tend to listen attentively.
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