Northern Quarter's tuesday-night free open mic at **The Whiskey Jar** — full backline, in-house sound engineer, walk-in sign-up from 6:30pm, 15-minute slots, all ages.
Northern Quarter's tuesday-night free open mic at **The Whiskey Jar** — full backline, in-house sound engineer, walk-in sign-up from 6:30pm, 15-minute slots, all ages.
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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
3 vocal mics
In-house engineer
About The Whiskey Jar
The Whiskey Jar is a grassroots music venue in Northern Quarter, Manchester. Full backline is on stage including drum kit, guitar amp, bass amp, PA and vocal mics, plus an in-house sound engineer — so you can travel light.
The Whiskey Jar is the Northern Quarter's longest-running open-mic venue, set in a stunning Grade I-listed former textile mill at 14 Tariff Street, Manchester (M1 2FF). It's split over two floors — an informal upstairs and a basement dedicated to music events — and has built a national reputation as one of the best open mics in the UK. The critically acclaimed open mic runs every Tuesday and Wednesday from 7pm, free to come in and watch, and has been running for around 8 years. Full backline is set up — drum kit, guitar and bass amps and vocal mics — with sound handled at the desk, so full bands as well as solo acts can play. To register, performers contact the venue's open-mic organiser (Joe McAdam). Manchester's scene is built around the Northern Quarter circuit, so expect a mix of working musicians and curious locals week to week.
Have you played here? Was the backline info accurate? One tap, no sign-up required.
Seven things people ask about booking The Whiskey Jar.
Full backline: drum kit, guitar amp, bass amp, PA and vocal mics. In-house sound engineer included. Bring your own instrument and pedals. Looking for other venues with full backline? Browse Manchester venues and filter by backline.
Contact the venue for genre preferences. Most Manchester grassroots venues book a mix of rock, pop, folk, and acoustic acts.
Sign up free on GigXchange to view The Whiskey Jar’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.
Capacity data is pending for The Whiskey Jar. Sign up to contribute or contact the venue directly.
Yes — The Whiskey Jar hosts open mic nights. Check the listing for day, time, and signup details on the Manchester Open Mic Finder.
14 Tariff Street, Northern Quarter, Manchester, M1 2FF. See the map below for directions. Browse more Manchester venues nearby.
Fee ranges are available to signed-up artists on GigXchange. Grassroots venue fees in Manchester 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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