The Red Lion is a historic 13th-century timber-framed pub tucked away on Merchantgate in York, with roaring open fires and original wooden beams. It frequently hosts live music in its atmospheric sunken yard, where musicians perform in the evenings, and it has a long-running open mic tradition welcoming solo acoustic acts, acoustic bands, spoken word, comedy and magic at a mellow, intimate volume. A characterful little spot for grass-roots performers in the city centre.
York · Every Tuesday · Free
The Red Lion Open Mic
Weekly open mic night at The Red Lion in York, showcasing local talent every Tuesday.
Open mic at a glance The Red Lion · York
Tuesday
Open mic night
May 2026
Listed since
01 Aug
Last verified
Free
Entry
19:30
Sign-up time
Closed
Listing status
Run a York open mic? List it free — verified within 48 hours
Last updated: 3 June 2026
The Red Lion Open Mic — Quick Facts
Weekly open mic night at The Red Lion in York, showcasing local talent every Tuesday.
We’ve marked this as closedSeen it running recently?Checked · 10 seconds, no signup
The Details
Everything you need before you turn up
DayTuesday
Start20:00
Sign-up19:30 walk-in
Slot length–
EntryFree · 18+
Capacity–
Performer typesMusic
Sound engineerBYO / hire on the night
View on map
Where
The Red Lion2 Merchantgate
York YO1 9TU
York — check venue website for parking and nearest station.
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.
What’s on in York this week — or see what’s on across the UK.
About The Red Lion
About This Open Mic
Every Tuesday in York
Kicks off at 20:00, sign-up from 19:30
Free entry for performers and audience
Slot length — we’re on it, no info yet
PA provided — BYO instrument
Part of the York open mic directory
The Night
The Red Lion at 2 Merchantgate (YO1 9TU) is a handsome traditional York pub with a beer garden and a long live-music history - but its open mic looks to have stopped. Open Mic Finder now marks the night as presumed no longer running, with details last confirmed in August 2021, and York's own gig calendar lists only the quiz here, on Wednesdays at 8.30pm. The stored Tuesday listing also sat at odds with the last first-hand account we have of the night, a host describing it as a Sunday, so the day was never firmly settled. It's 18+ and still a good live-music room, so if the open mic returns we'll pick it up - for now there's no open stage to send performers to.
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 Red Lion’s Tuesday night runs.
19:30Sign-up
20:00Kick-off
23:00Venue closes
Every Tuesday Free entry
Find The Red Lion
2 Merchantgate, York YO1 9TU
Planning Your Tuesday Night
Arrive by 19:30 to sign up for a slot. Entry is free and the open mic typically runs until late. A PA is provided — bring your own instrument and amp.
Part of the York 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 York's The Red Lion open mic.
Walk-in sign-up only, opens at 19:30. Arrive early — slots fill on the night. See other York open mic nights for alternatives.
PA + vocal mic provided. BYO instrument and amp.
Slot length varies — check with the host.
Yes — free entry for performers and audience. Most York mics are free; browse the list.
Solo and duo acts work best given the gear available; ask the host before bringing a full band.
2 Merchantgate, York YO1 9TU.
Mostly fellow musicians, friends and York regulars across the York open mic scene. York open mic crowds tend to listen attentively.
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