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Sailortown · Small

The American Bar

Belfast's Wednesday-night free folk open mic at 67-69 Dock Street, BT15 1HW — historic dockside pub, PA + guitar amp, 12-minute slots.

Venue at a glance The American Bar · Belfast
~50
Capacity
standingsmall
4 nights
Live music
Wed · Thu · Friper week
20:00
Start time
doorsnightly
PA
Backline
PA + micsgear
Folk
Books
originals+3 more
Verified
Directory status
openGX directory

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Last updated: 4 June 2026

The American Bar — Quick Facts

Belfast's Wednesday-night free folk open mic at 67-69 Dock Street, BT15 1HW — historic dockside pub, PA + guitar amp, 12-minute slots.

✓ Verified openLast verified Source: designmynight.com
The Details

Everything you need before you book

Capacity~50 standing
Live nightsWed, Thu, Fri, Sat
Curfew
Sound limiter
Outdoor stageNo
OriginalsYes

Where

The American Bar 67-69 Dock Street
Sailortown
Belfast BT15 1HW

Genres

Folk Blues Acoustic Trad

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Booking Information

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What's on Stage

Equipment and backline available at this venue. We verify and update this section regularly.

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
2 vocal mics
In-house engineer

About The American Bar

The American Bar is a grassroots music venue in Sailortown, Belfast with a standing capacity of approximately 50. PA system and vocal mics are provided; bring your own instruments and amps.

The American Bar books Folk, Blues, Acoustic, Trad acts. Both original music and covers are welcome. This listing is part of the Belfast venue directory.

The American Bar has stood on the corner of Dock Street in historic Sailortown, Belfast (BT15 1HW) since 1860 — a former dockers' and sailors' bar that is now one of the city's best-loved grassroots music venues, with a standing capacity of around 50. It bills itself as a bar for artists and musicians, weirdos and outcasts, workers, poets and dog walkers, and since 2021 has been home to The Grateful Bread bakery. The music runs deep across the week: a free Wednesday-night folk open mic with 12-minute slots, Thursday folk nights, Friday open-mic sessions and Saturday-afternoon blues. A PA and vocal mics are provided; performers bring their own instruments and amps. A characterful, fiercely independent home for folk, blues and trad in Belfast.

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Find The American Bar

67-69 Dock Street, Sailortown, Belfast, BT15 1HW

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Common Questions

Seven things people ask about booking The American Bar.

PA system and vocal mics provided. BYO instruments and amps. Need a venue with full backline? Filter Belfast venues by backline.
The American Bar books Folk, Blues, Acoustic, Trad. Both original music and covers are welcome. Browse artist profiles by genre on GigXchange.
Sign up free on GigXchange to view The American Bar’s booking contact, fee range, and submission process. Most grassroots venues accept email submissions with a link to your music or EPK. Check current UK fee benchmarks before quoting.
The American Bar has a standing capacity of approximately 50, classed as a small venue. See all Belfast venues for size comparisons.
Yes — The American Bar hosts open mic nights. Check the listing for day, time, and signup details on the Belfast Open Mic Finder.
67-69 Dock Street, Sailortown, Belfast, BT15 1HW. See the map below for directions. Browse more Belfast venues nearby.
Fee ranges are available to signed-up artists on GigXchange. Grassroots venue fees in Belfast vary by event type, band size, and whether the deal is a flat fee or door split. The GigXchange Rate Calculator shows current UK percentiles.

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