OIL is an independent bar and live-music venue on Castle Street in Shrewsbury, with a laid-back, industrial-chic feel across three distinct spaces. The weekly programme runs four nights: Unplugged on the second and last Tuesday of the month (8pm to 11pm), a stripped-back acoustic session hosted by singer-songwriter Fergus Reid with no mics and no amps; the Basement Jam every Thursday (8.30pm to 11.30pm) with the amps in and the volume up, led by rotating professional hosts; the Friday Nite Mix upstairs (8pm to 11pm) with local selectors spanning hip-hop to house; and the Saturday Nite Jam (9.30pm to 11.30pm), a free live-music night where local talent comes together. What began as a small blues jam has grown into a scene that covers every genre - always live, inclusive and free.
Shrewsbury · Every Thursday · No fee listed
Town centre's thursday open mic.
Next night: Thu 19 Nov. Kick-off 20:30. No fee listed.
Nearby open micsUpdated 13 November 2026
Thursdays
| Night | Every Thursday |
| Sign-up | Walk-in |
| Slot | Ask the host |
| Entry | No fee listed · all ages |
| Backline | Ask the host |
| Capacity | – |
| Performer types | Musicians |
| Status | Verified running |
| Last checked | 8 Oct 2026 |
| Checked against | Venue website |
| PA system | TBC |
| Drum kit | TBC |
| Guitar amp | TBC |
| Bass amp | TBC |
| Keys / keyboard | TBC |
| Vocal mics | TBC |
| In-house engineer | TBC |
OIL's Thursday night session, The Basement Jam, runs 8.30pm to 11.30pm in Shrewsbury town centre. It grew out of a small blues jam into an all-genre night covering every style, led by a rotating duo of professional hosts, and draws a mix of musicians who share a passion for playing together. The amps are in and the volume is up, so players can turn up and plug straight in.
OIL is an independent bar and live-music venue on Castle Street in Shrewsbury, with a laid-back, industrial-chic feel across three distinct spaces. The weekly programme runs four nights: Unplugged on the second and last Tuesday of the month (8pm to 11pm), a stripped-back acoustic session hosted by singer-songwriter Fergus Reid with no mics and no amps; the Basement Jam every Thursday (8.30pm to 11.30pm) with the amps in and the volume up, led by rotating professional hosts; the Friday Nite Mix upstairs (8pm to 11pm) with local selectors spanning hip-hop to house; and the Saturday Nite Jam (9.30pm to 11.30pm), a free live-music night where local talent comes together. What began as a small blues jam has grown into a scene that covers every genre - always live, inclusive and free.
One tap. It tells the next act what to expect.
| 01 | Correct the day, time and sign-up |
| 02 | Edit your profile and photos |
| 03 | Receive artist enquiries |
| 04 | Update backline and capacity |
OIL Open Mic
Town centre's thursday open mic. Starts at 20:30.
- Thursday
- Open mic night
- Jun 2026
- Listed since
- 8 Oct
- Last verified
- No fee
- Entry
- —
- Sign-up time
- Verified
- Listing status
Last updated: 13 November 2026
OIL Open Mic — Quick Facts
OIL Open Mic runs on Thursdays at OIL in Shrewsbury, starting at 20:30. Below: when it runs, sign-up and slots, the stage kit and how to get there.
The night starts at 20:30 and runs to about 23:30. It's walk-in sign-up - arrive early to get a slot.
What’s on in Shrewsbury this week — or see what’s on across the UK.
About This Open Mic
OIL's Thursday night session, The Basement Jam, runs 8.30pm to 11.30pm in Shrewsbury town centre. It grew out of a small blues jam into an all-genre night covering every style, led by a rotating duo of professional hosts, and draws a mix of musicians who share a passion for playing together. The amps are in and the volume is up, so players can turn up and plug straight in.
What's on stage — equipment and backline at this venue, verified regularly.
The Night at a Glance
How OIL’s Thursday night runs.
Every Thursday
Thu 19 Nov · Thu 26 Nov · Thu 3 Dec
Arrive early to get your name on the list, tune up before you go on.
Find OIL
Town centre, Shrewsbury
You'll find OIL in Town centre, Shrewsbury. Check the venue's website for parking and the nearest station.
The Loggerheads, Albert's Shed Shrewsbury, The Boat Inn and The New Inn
Planning Your Thursday Night
Arrive early to get your name down. The open mic runs until about 23:30. The kit is not listed yet — ask the host what is provided.
What should you charge for paid gigs? 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 Shrewsbury live music scene.
Common Questions
8 things people want to know before Shrewsbury's OIL open mic.
Venues Near OIL
No other gigs are listed at OIL in the GigXchange directory yet — these are the rooms around it, their size, kit and live nights.
Keep up with Shrewsbury
One email a week with live music near you. Free, and it keeps grassroots rooms full.
Help keep grassroots venues open in Shrewsbury
—A UK venue stops hosting live music every 5 days — and turning up is what keeps a room open. Get a free weekly email of gigs in Shrewsbury. Unsubscribe any time. Privacy.
See what’s on in Shrewsbury over the next four weeks →
OIL open mic in brief. The OIL open mic runs every Thursday from 20:30 (no fee listed). Coming back with a full band? OIL’s venue page has its kit and capacity listed. For another night this week, the open mics near Shrewsbury are listed by day.
Booking or playing in Shrewsbury? 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.
After paid gigs rather than open mics? See Shrewsbury gigs or check the going rate.
More rooms near OIL: Kershaw's Cafe, Miners Arms, Shrewsbury Town FC, The Boat Inn, The Bull Inn, The Buttermarket, The Lion Inn, The Loft Bridgnorth, The Loggerheads, The New Inn and The Old Post Office.
Free to join. No subscription. 5% only if you want the deposit protected.
Run an open mic in Shrewsbury?
Add yours to the directory free. 2-minute submission, reviewed before it goes live.