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.
City Centre · Every Thursday · Free
The Commercial Open Mic
Chester's Thursday-night free open mic — hosted by Lee Roddai.
Open mic at a glance The Commercial · Chester
Thursday
Open mic night
May 2026
Listed since
03 Jun
Last verified
Free
Entry
12 min
Slot length
Verified
Listing status
Run a Chester open mic? List it free — verified within 48 hours
Last updated: 3 June 2026
The Commercial Open Mic — Quick Facts
Chester's Thursday-night free open mic — hosted by Lee Roddai.
✓ Verified activeLast verified
The Details
Everything you need before you turn up
DayThursday
Start21:00
Sign-up20:30 walk-in
Slot length12 min
EntryFree · 18+
Capacityc. 60 standing
Performer typesMusic
Sound engineerBYO / hire on the night
View on map
Where
The CommercialSt Peter's Church Yard
City Centre
Chester CH1 2AG
City Centre, Chester — 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 Commercial
About This Open Mic
Every Thursday in City Centre, Chester
Kicks off at 21:00, sign-up from 20:30
Free entry for performers and audience
12-minute slots
PA provided — BYO instrument
Part of the Chester open mic directory
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.
What's on stage — equipment and backline at this venue, verified regularly.
PA + monitors
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
2 vocal mics
In-house engineer
The Night at a Glance
How The Commercial’s Thursday night runs.
20:30Sign-up
21:00Kick-off
23:30Last songs
00:00Venue closes
Every Thursday 12-min slots Free entry
Find The Commercial
St Peter's Church Yard, City Centre, Chester CH1 2AG
Planning Your Thursday Night
Arrive by 20:30 to sign up for a slot. Entry is free and the open mic typically runs until 23:30. A PA is provided — bring your own instrument and amp.
Part of the Chester 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 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.
PA + vocal mic provided. BYO instrument and amp.
12 minutes per act — typically 3 songs solo.
Yes — free entry for performers and audience. Most Chester mics are free; browse the list.
Solo and duo acts work best given the gear available; ask the host before bringing a full band.
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.
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