The Commercial is a characterful 1817 Thomas Harrison building tucked behind St Peter's church off Northgate Street, near Chester Cross. This multi-roomed bar runs a weekly open mic every Thursday from 9pm, hosted by Lee Roddai, and has a long-standing reputation for live music. With its garden and central position, it's a popular spot for local performers and late-night music lovers alike.
Chester · Every Thursday · No fee listed
The Commercial Open Mic
Chester's Thursday-night free open mic — hosted by Lee Roddai.
Next night: Thu 19 Nov. Kick-off 21:00, sign-up from 20:30. 12-minute slots. No fee listed.
Nearby open micsUpdated 13 November 2026
At a glance
Checked 30 Sept 202621:00
Kick-off
Thursdays
sign-up from 20:30Thursdays
| Night | Every Thursday |
| Sign-up | 20:30 walk-in |
| Slot | 12 min |
| Entry | No fee listed · 18+ |
| Backline | PA provided |
01 — Inside the room
4 photosPhotos: Google
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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 | c. 60 standing |
| Performer types | Musicians |
The check
| Status | Being verified |
Help keep this trueOne tap
Is this night still on?
No sign-up. We review corrections within 7 days.
03 — The night
Every ThursdayHow the night runs
21:00
Kick-off
ThursdaysRunning order
20:30 Sign-up· Walk-in
21:00 Kick-off· 12-minute slots
23:30 Last songs
00:00 Venue closes
04 — Find The Commercial
City CentreGetting there
St Peter's Church Yard,
City Centre, Chester CH1 2AG
City Centre, Chester CH1 2AG
The nearest station is Chester (rail station), about 15 minutes' walk away.
05 — What's on stage
2 provided| PA system | Provided |
| Drum kit | Bring your own |
| Guitar amp | Bring your own |
| Bass amp | Bring your own |
| Keys / keyboard | Bring your own |
| 2 vocal mics | Provided |
| In-house engineer | None |
06 — About
City Centre, ChesterAbout the night
Thursday open mic hosted by Lee Roddai from 9pm — acoustic acts, solo singers.
Sign-up process
Walk-in from 8:30pm.
Getting there
St Peter's Church Yard, CH1 2AG. 6 minutes from Chester Rail.
The venue
18+. Capacity c. 60.
The Commercial is a characterful 1817 Thomas Harrison building tucked behind St Peter's church off Northgate Street, near Chester Cross. This multi-roomed bar runs a weekly open mic every Thursday from 9pm, hosted by Lee Roddai, and has a long-standing reputation for live music. With its garden and central position, it's a popular spot for local performers and late-night music lovers alike.
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| 04 | Update backline and capacity |
City Centre · Every Thursday
The Commercial Open Mic
Chester's Thursday-night free open mic — hosted by Lee Roddai. Starts at 21:00.
- Thursday
- Open mic night
- May 2026
- Listed since
- 30 Sept
- Last checked
- No fee
- Entry
- 12 min
- Slot length
- Community
- Listing status
Run a Chester open mic? List it free — reviewed before it goes live
Last updated: 13 November 2026
The Commercial Open Mic — Quick Facts
The Commercial Open Mic runs on Thursdays at The Commercial in Chester, starting at 21:00 with sign-up from 20:30. Chester's Thursday-night free open mic — hosted by Lee Roddai. Below: when it runs, sign-up and slots, the stage kit and how to get there.
Open mic status Last checked 30 Sept 2026
How sure we are
Partly verified
The night starts at 21:00 and runs to about 23:30. Sign-up is on the night from 20:30 - get there early to get a slot. Slots run about 12 minutes - room for roughly 12 acts. A PA is listed; check what else is on stage before you bring a band.
Next nightThu 19 Nov · 21:00Starts in 6d 13h 08m
Age18+
Sign-upWalk-in on the night
Capacityc. 60 standing
BacklinePA provided
Sound engineerNone in-house
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.
NightThursdayEvery ThursdayNext: Thu 19 Nov
Starts21:00until 23:30
Sign-up20:30Walk-in
Slots12minutes eachRoom for about 12 acts
What’s on in Chester this week — or see what’s on across the UK.
About This Open Mic
Thursday open mic hosted by Lee Roddai from 9pm — acoustic acts, solo singers.
Sign-up process
Walk-in from 8:30pm.
Getting there
St Peter's Church Yard, CH1 2AG. 6 minutes from Chester Rail.
The venue
18+. Capacity c. 60.
What's on stage — equipment and backline at this venue, verified regularly.
PA systemProvided
Drum kitBring your own
Guitar ampBring your own
Bass ampBring your own
Keys / keyboardBring your own
2 vocal micsProvided
In-house engineerNone
The Night at a Glance
How The Commercial’s Thursday night runs.
Next nightThu 19 Nov · 21:00Starts in 6d 13h 08m
Sign-up opens20:30Walk-in on the night
Kick-off21:00Every Thursday
Music ends23:30Last act finishes
Venue closes00:00The listed closing time
Slots12minutes eachroom for about 12 acts
How often
Every Thursday
Coming up
Thu 19 Nov · Thu 26 Nov · Thu 3 Dec
Kit
The Commercial provides a PA system and 2 vocal mics; bring your own drum kit, guitar amp, bass amp and keys; no in-house sound engineer.
First time here?
Arrive for 20:30 to get your name on the list, tune up before you go on, and plan a set that fits 12 minutes.
Find The Commercial
St Peter's Church Yard, City Centre, Chester CH1 2AG
AddressSt Peter's Church Yard
AreaCity Centre, Chester
PostcodeCH1 2AG
DirectionsOpen in Google Maps →
Getting there
The nearest station is Chester (rail station), about 15 minutes' walk away. The Commercial is in City Centre, Chester — use CH1 2AG for sat-nav, taxis and ride apps. Check the venue's website for parking and the nearest station before you set off.
Open mics nearby
Telford's Warehouse, Jax, Chichester Arms and Alexander's Live
Station data: NaPTAN, Department for Transport (Open Government Licence).
Planning Your Thursday Night
Be there by 20:30 to put your name down. The open mic runs until about 23:30. The Commercial provides a PA system and 2 vocal mics; bring your own drum kit, guitar amp, bass amp and keys; no in-house sound engineer.
The scene Live music in Chesterthe venues, the gigs and where it happensGet gigs How to get gigs in Chesterpay, venues that book, how to pitchBands Find a band in Chesteracts to book or play alongsideGigs Upcoming gigs in Chesterevery listing, sorted by dateArtists Browse artist profilesfind acts to play or collaborate withOpen mics UK Open Mic Finderfree stage time, night by night
What should you charge for a paid gig? Most open mic musicians are ready sooner than they think — try the Rate Calculator for live UK rates by role, city and venue size. In the wider Chester live music scene.
Common Questions
9 things people ask before turning up at Chester's The Commercial open mic.
Walk-in sign-up only, opens at 20:30. Arrive early — slots fill on the night. See other Chester open mic nights for alternatives.
The Commercial provides a PA system and 2 vocal mics; bring your own drum kit, guitar amp, bass amp and keys; no in-house sound engineer.
12 minutes per act — typically 3 songs solo.
No entry fee is listed for The Commercial's open mic - most open mics are free to play and to watch, but check with the venue before you go. Browse Chester open mics.
Ask the host before bringing a full band — solo and duo acts are the usual open-mic format.
St Peter's Church Yard, City Centre, Chester CH1 2AG.
Mostly fellow musicians, friends and Chester regulars across the Chester open mic scene. Chester open mic crowds tend to listen attentively.
The nearest station is Chester (rail station), about 15 minutes' walk away. For sat-nav and taxis, the postcode is CH1 2AG. (Station data: NaPTAN, Department for Transport, Open Government Licence.)
Sign-up is walk-in on the night, from 20:30, so you do not need to book ahead. GigXchange doesn't publish venue phone numbers or emails. Browse other Chester open mics.
Venues Near The Commercial
No other gigs are listed at The Commercial in the GigXchange directory yet — these are the rooms around it, their size, kit and live nights.
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See what’s on in Chester over the next four weeks →
The Commercial open mic in brief. The Commercial open mic runs every Thursday from 21:00 (no fee listed); sign-up opens 20:30 and slots run about 12 minutes. Coming back with a full band? The Commercial’s venue page has its kit and capacity listed. For another night this week, the open mics near Chester are listed by day.
Booking or playing in Chester? 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 Chester open mics
All ›Looking for paid gigs, not open mics? See Chester gigs or check the going rate.
10 — Venues near The Commercial
All ›More rooms near The Commercial: Civic Hall Connah's Quay, Holly Bush Inn, Jax, Llangollen Pavilion, Llangollen Town Hall, Magic Dragon Brewery Tap, Nags Head, Neuadd Ogwen, Rock N Soul Suite, Saith Seren and St. Mary's Creative Space.
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