The Forum is Tunbridge Wells's independent 250-capacity music venue, opened in January 1993 inside a former public cold bath on the Common that later served as a public toilet and a brass-rubbing centre. NME voted it Britain's Best Small Venue in 2012, and it has hosted Adele, Coldplay and Mumford & Sons early in their careers. A volunteer-run grassroots room, it books indie, rock, punk and metal touring and local acts with a full in-house PA and sound engineer, and runs a separate 50-capacity Forum Basement for smaller shows.
Tunbridge Wells · Dates vary · £5.00
The Forum Open Mic
Tunbridge Wells Common's wednesday open mic.
Kick-off 17:00, sign-up from 17:00. £5.00 entry.
Nearby open micsUpdated 13 November 2026
At a glance
Checked 18 Oct 202617:00
Kick-off
Wednesdays
sign-up from 17:00Wednesdays
| Night | Dates vary |
| Sign-up | 17:00 walk-in |
| Slot | Ask the host |
| Entry | £5.00 |
| Backline | PA provided |
01 — Inside the room
4 photosPhotos: Google
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0 members voted to bring the venue onto GigXchange02 — The details
Before you goEverything you need to know
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Member votes
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| Capacity | – |
| Performer types | Musicians |
The check
| Status | Being verified |
Help keep this trueOne tap
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03 — The night
Dates varyHow the night runs
This night is irregular
Check the date before you goRunning order
17:00 Kick-off
19:30 Last songs
04 — Find The Forum
Tunbridge Wells CommonGetting there
Tunbridge Wells Common, Tunbridge Wells
05 — What's on stage
4 provided · 3 TBC| PA system | Provided |
| Drum kit | Provided |
| Guitar amp | TBC |
| Bass amp | TBC |
| Keys / keyboard | TBC |
| Vocal mics | Provided |
| In-house engineer | Provided |
06 — About
Tunbridge Wells Common, Tunbridge WellsAbout the night
The Forum is Tunbridge Wells' beloved independent music venue (a converted Victorian loo on the Common, capacity 250), and it runs an Under-18s Open Mic on scattered dates through the year rather than to a fixed weekly slot. Doors are 4:30pm to 7:30pm, performers get in free from 5pm, and audience entry is £5 on the door. It's an alcohol-free, all-ages event (under-14s must come with an adult). The kit is properly looked after: all mics, amps and a full drum kit are provided, plus the house PA, lighting and a real sound engineer and stage manager to help young performers sound their best. There's no keyboard, so bring your own if you need one. The last date we could confirm was Wednesday 17 September 2025, and none was on the Forum's listings when we checked in October 2026, so look up the next date on the Forum's site before you go.
The Forum is Tunbridge Wells's independent 250-capacity music venue, opened in January 1993 inside a former public cold bath on the Common that later served as a public toilet and a brass-rubbing centre. NME voted it Britain's Best Small Venue in 2012, and it has hosted Adele, Coldplay and Mumford & Sons early in their careers. A volunteer-run grassroots room, it books indie, rock, punk and metal touring and local acts with a full in-house PA and sound engineer, and runs a separate 50-capacity Forum Basement for smaller shows.
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Tunbridge Wells Common · Dates vary · £5.00
The Forum Open Mic
Tunbridge Wells Common's wednesday open mic.
- Wednesday
- Open mic night
- May 2026
- Listed since
- 18 Oct
- Last checked
- £5.00
- Entry
- 17:00
- Sign-up time
- Community
- Listing status
Run a Tunbridge Wells open mic? List it free — reviewed before it goes live
Last updated: 13 November 2026
The Forum Open Mic — Quick Facts
The Forum Open Mic runs on dates that vary at The Forum in Tunbridge Wells, starting at 17:00 with sign-up from 17:00. Below: when it runs, sign-up and slots, the stage kit and how to get there.
Open mic status Last checked 18 Oct 2026
How sure we are
Partly verified
The night starts at 17:00 and runs to about 19:30. Sign-up is on the night from 17:00 - get there early to get a slot. There is a PA listed - ask what else is on stage before you load in.
Entry£5.00
AgeAll ages
Sign-upWalk-in on the night
BacklinePA provided
Sound engineerIn-house, included
Directory statusBeing verified
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.
NightVariesdates vary
Starts17:00until 19:30
Sign-up17:00Walk-in
SlotsTBCslot lengthNot confirmed yet
What’s on in Tunbridge Wells this week — or see what’s on across the UK.
About This Open Mic
The Forum is Tunbridge Wells' beloved independent music venue (a converted Victorian loo on the Common, capacity 250), and it runs an Under-18s Open Mic on scattered dates through the year rather than to a fixed weekly slot. Doors are 4:30pm to 7:30pm, performers get in free from 5pm, and audience entry is £5 on the door. It's an alcohol-free, all-ages event (under-14s must come with an adult). The kit is properly looked after: all mics, amps and a full drum kit are provided, plus the house PA, lighting and a real sound engineer and stage manager to help young performers sound their best. There's no keyboard, so bring your own if you need one. The last date we could confirm was Wednesday 17 September 2025, and none was on the Forum's listings when we checked in October 2026, so look up the next date on the Forum's site before you go.
The kit on stage — equipment and backline at this venue, verified regularly.
PA systemProvided
Drum kitProvided
Guitar ampTBC
Bass ampTBC
Keys / keyboardTBC
Vocal micsProvided
In-house engineerProvided
The Night at a Glance
How The Forum’s Wednesday night runs.
Sign-up opens · Kick-off17:00Walk-in on the night
Music ends19:30Last act finishes
How often
Dates vary
Getting there
Tunbridge Wells Common, Tunbridge Wells - the map is below.
Kit
The Forum provides a PA system, vocal mics, a drum kit and an in-house sound engineer — check the rest with the venue.
First time here?
Arrive for 17:00 to get your name on the list, tune up before you go on.
Find The Forum
Tunbridge Wells Common, Tunbridge Wells
AreaTunbridge Wells Common, Tunbridge Wells
DirectionsOpen in Google Maps →
Getting there
The Forum is in Tunbridge Wells Common, Tunbridge Wells. Check the venue's website for parking and the nearest station before you set off.
Open mics nearby
Even Flow, Ye Olde Chequers Inn, The Bell Inn and The Grey Lady
Planning Your Wednesday Night
Be there by 17:00 to put your name down. Entry is £5.00. The open mic runs until about 19:30. The Forum provides a PA system, vocal mics, a drum kit and an in-house sound engineer — check the rest with the venue.
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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. A night in the Tunbridge Wells live music scene.
Common Questions
8 things people want to know before Tunbridge Wells' The Forum open mic.
Walk-in sign-up only, opens at 17:00. Arrive early — slots fill on the night. See other Tunbridge Wells open mic nights for alternatives.
The Forum provides a PA system, vocal mics, a drum kit and an in-house sound engineer — check the rest with the venue.
Slot length varies — check with the host.
Entry is £5.00. For free alternatives, filter the directory.
Ask the host before bringing a full band — solo and duo acts are the usual open-mic format.
The Forum is in Tunbridge Wells Common. Get directions, or see the other Tunbridge Wells open mics.
Mostly fellow musicians, friends and Tunbridge Wells regulars across the Tunbridge Wells open mic scene. Tunbridge Wells open mic crowds tend to listen attentively.
Sign-up is walk-in on the night, from 17:00, so you do not need to book ahead. GigXchange doesn't publish venue phone numbers or emails. Browse other Tunbridge Wells open mics.
Venues Near The Forum
No other gigs are listed at The Forum in the GigXchange directory yet — these are the rooms around it, their size, kit and live nights.
08 — Keep up with Tunbridge Wells
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See what’s on in Tunbridge Wells over the next four weeks →
The Forum open mic in brief. The Forum open mic runs dates vary from 17:00 (£5.00 entry); sign-up opens 17:00. The Forum’s venue page has its kit and capacity if you want to come back with a full band. For another night this week, the open mics near Tunbridge Wells are listed by day.
Booking or playing in Tunbridge Wells? 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 Tunbridge Wells open mics
All ›Want paid gigs instead of open mics? See Tunbridge Wells gigs or check the going rate.
10 — Venues near The Forum
All ›More rooms near The Forum: The Star Inn, The Sussex Arms, Tunbridge Wells Assembly Hall and Ye Olde Chequers Inn.
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