Johnny's Bar & Café is an independent live-music venue and café at 96 Queen's Road, Watford (WD17 2NX), open daily 11:00–23:00. It has a purpose-fitted basement with its own PA and equipment used for both open-mic nights and full-band performances, plus a ground-floor bar and an upstairs bar/seating area, and it's joined to Vinyl @ Johnny's, the owners' record shop. The long-running Dial Up Open Mic has been hosted here since 2010, traditionally on the first Sunday of the month (2–4pm, free entry, suggested £5 donation) — though as of mid-2026 the regularity of that specific monthly session is no longer confirmed. The venue itself remains active for live music and band bookings.
Watford · Every 1st Sunday of the month · No fee listed
Johnny's Bar Open Mic
First-Sunday-of-the-month open mic at Johnny's — intimate Queens Road room.
Next night: Sun 6 Dec. Kick-off 14:00. 10-minute slots. No fee listed.
Nearby open micsUpdated 13 November 2026
At a glance
Checked 29 Sept 202614:00
Kick-off
Sundays
sign-up on the nightSundays
| Night | Every 1st Sunday of the month |
| Sign-up | Walk-in |
| Slot | 10 min |
| Entry | No fee listed · 18+ |
| Backline | PA provided |
01 — Inside the room
4 photosPhotos: Google
212
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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 · Poets |
| Host | The Dial Up |
| Website | lemonrock.com |
The check
| Status | Verified running |
| Last checked | 29 Sept 2026 |
| Checked against | Music directory |
03 — The night
Every 1st Sunday of the monthHow the night runs
14:00
Kick-off
SundaysRunning order
14:00 Kick-off· 10-minute slots
17:00 Last songs
04 — Find Johnny's Bar
Queens RoadGetting there
96 Queen's Road,
Queens Road, Watford WD17 2LA
Queens Road, Watford WD17 2LA
The nearest station is Watford Junction (rail station), about 10 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
Queens Road, WatfordAbout the night
The Dial Up Open Mic at Johnny's Bar (96 Queens Road, a five-minute walk from Watford Junction) runs on the first Sunday of each month, 2pm to 5pm. It's a daytime session in a dedicated performance room with its own bar, welcoming a genuinely broad mix — acoustic and electro-acoustic, folk, jazz, comedy, poetry, drama, dance and even musical-theatre showtunes. Johnny's has supported performers since 2010. Free entry (a £5 donation is suggested by some listings to support the night).
Johnny's Bar & Café is an independent live-music venue and café at 96 Queen's Road, Watford (WD17 2NX), open daily 11:00–23:00. It has a purpose-fitted basement with its own PA and equipment used for both open-mic nights and full-band performances, plus a ground-floor bar and an upstairs bar/seating area, and it's joined to Vinyl @ Johnny's, the owners' record shop. The long-running Dial Up Open Mic has been hosted here since 2010, traditionally on the first Sunday of the month (2–4pm, free entry, suggested £5 donation) — though as of mid-2026 the regularity of that specific monthly session is no longer confirmed. The venue itself remains active for live music and band bookings.
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Queens Road · Every 1st Sunday of the month
Johnny's Bar Open Mic
First-Sunday-of-the-month open mic at Johnny's — intimate Queens Road room. Starts at 14:00.
- Sunday
- Open mic night
- May 2026
- Listed since
- 29 Sept
- Last verified
- No fee
- Entry
- 10 min
- Slot length
- Verified
- Listing status
Run a Watford open mic? List it free — reviewed before it goes live
Last updated: 13 November 2026
Johnny's Bar Open Mic — Quick Facts
Johnny's Bar Open Mic runs on the 1st Sunday of the month at Johnny's Bar in Watford, starting at 14:00. First-Sunday-of-the-month open mic at Johnny's — intimate Queens Road room. Below: when it runs, sign-up and slots, the stage kit and how to get there.
Open mic status Last verified 29 Sept 2026
How sure we are
Verified active
Checked against the venue’s own listing See Johnny's Bar’s venue page →
The night starts at 14:00 and runs to about 17:00. It's walk-in sign-up - arrive early to get a slot. Slots run about 10 minutes - room for roughly 18 acts. A PA is listed; check what else is on stage before you bring a band. The Dial Up hosts the night.
Next nightSun 6 Dec · 14:00Starts in 23d 06h 20m
Age18+
Sign-upWalk-in on the night
Who playsMusicians · Poets
BacklinePA provided
Sound engineerAsk the venue
HostThe Dial Up
Directory statusVerified active
Member votes0 to get the venue on GigXchange
Websitelemonrock.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.
NightSundayEvery 1st Sunday of the monthNext: Sun 6 Dec
Starts14:00until 17:00
Sign-upWalk-insign-up
Slots10minutes eachRoom for about 18 acts
What’s on in Watford this week — or see what’s on across the UK.
About This Open Mic
The Dial Up Open Mic at Johnny's Bar (96 Queens Road, a five-minute walk from Watford Junction) runs on the first Sunday of each month, 2pm to 5pm. It's a daytime session in a dedicated performance room with its own bar, welcoming a genuinely broad mix — acoustic and electro-acoustic, folk, jazz, comedy, poetry, drama, dance and even musical-theatre showtunes. Johnny's has supported performers since 2010. Free entry (a £5 donation is suggested by some listings to support the night).
Equipment and backline at this venue — what's on stage, verified regularly.
PA systemProvided
Drum kitTBC
Guitar ampTBC
Bass ampTBC
Keys / keyboardTBC
Vocal micsTBC
In-house engineerTBC
The Night at a Glance
How Johnny's Bar’s Sunday night runs.
Next nightSun 6 Dec · 14:00Starts in 23d 06h 20m
Kick-off14:00Every 1st Sunday of the month
Music ends17:00Last act finishes
Slots10minutes eachroom for about 18 acts
How often
Every 1st Sunday of the month
Coming up
Sun 6 Dec · Sun 3 Jan · Sun 7 Feb
Kit
Johnny's Bar provides a PA system — check the rest with the venue.
First time here?
Arrive early to get your name on the list, tune up before you go on, and plan a set that fits 10 minutes.
Find Johnny's Bar
96 Queen's Road, Queens Road, Watford WD17 2LA
Address96 Queen's Road
AreaQueens Road, Watford
PostcodeWD17 2LA
DirectionsOpen in Google Maps →
Getting there
The nearest station is Watford Junction (rail station), about 10 minutes' walk away. You'll find Johnny's Bar in Queens Road, Watford; WD17 2LA is the postcode for sat-nav and ride apps. Check the venue's website for parking and the nearest station.
Open mics nearby
The Horn, Mad Squirrel, The Oddfellows Arms and The Pump House
Station data: NaPTAN, Department for Transport (Open Government Licence).
Planning Your Sunday Night
Arrive early to sign up for a slot. The open mic runs until about 17:00. Johnny's Bar provides a PA system — check the rest with the venue.
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Common Questions
9 things people want to know before Watford's Johnny's Bar open mic.
Walk-in sign-up only. Arrive early — slots fill on the night. See other Watford open mic nights for alternatives.
Johnny's Bar provides a PA system — check the rest with the venue.
10 minutes per act — typically 3 songs solo.
No entry fee is listed for Johnny's Bar's open mic - most open mics are free to play and to watch, but check with the venue before you go. Browse Watford open mics.
Ask the host before bringing a full band — solo and duo acts are the usual open-mic format.
96 Queen's Road, Queens Road, Watford WD17 2LA.
Mostly fellow musicians, friends and Watford regulars across the Watford open mic scene. Watford open mic crowds tend to listen attentively.
The nearest station is Watford Junction (rail station), about 10 minutes' walk away. For sat-nav and taxis, the postcode is WD17 2LA. (Station data: NaPTAN, Department for Transport, Open Government Licence.)
Sign-up is walk-in on the night, 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 Watford open mics.
Venues Near Johnny's Bar
No other gigs are listed at Johnny's Bar in the GigXchange directory yet — these are the rooms around it, their size, kit and live nights.
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Johnny's Bar open mic in brief. The Johnny's Bar open mic runs every 1st Sunday of the month from 14:00 (no fee listed); slots run about 10 minutes. Johnny's Bar’s venue page has its kit and capacity if you want to come back with a full band. For a different night this week, the open mics near Watford are listed by day.
Booking or playing in Watford? 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 Watford open mics
All ›Looking for paid gigs, not open mics? See Watford gigs or check the going rate.
10 — Venues near Johnny's Bar
All ›More rooms near Johnny's Bar: Mad Squirrel, Oneforty, The Boxmoor Playhouse, The Crown, The Crown & Anchor, The Farmer's Boy, The Horn, The Horns, The Hub on Verulam, The Oddfellows Arms and The Pioneer Club.
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