A Mic Night to Remember

Exploring Manchester’s local offerings for rising stars

By Beth Shackleton

W hat would the Manchester music scene be without its citywide hive of open mic nights? A place for new bands and artists to put their sound out into the world and for music lovers to discover fresh new talent, open mic nights offer something for every virtuoso.

Open mics are responsible for the emergence of now world-famous musicians such as Jessie J and Ed Sheeran and are a great way for new artists to establish a fan base and get their music heard by producers.

Check out the list below for some of Manchester’s coveted open mic events:

‘Video Killed the Radio Star’ Blockbusters NQ in the Northern Quarter (Every Sunday at 7pm) –Blockbusters NQ is a small bar encompassing the nostalgia of the 90s. Cocktails and a retro theme? What more could you ask for?

‘The Rooftop Open Mic’ Brickhouse Social in the City Centre (Every Monday at 7pm) FE – The Greenhouse terrace which sits atop the Brickhouse roof offers a range of drinks for you to enjoy whilst soaking up the Manchester sun or gazing at the stars.

‘Open Mic’ Flour and Flagon in the City Centre (Every Monday at 7pm) FE – a proper British pub offering a range of cask ales and spirits, plus a food menu available until 7pm on Sundays or 9pm the rest of the week. As an added bonus, this venue is dog friendly; could it be any more perfect?!

‘Open Mic Night’ The Grafton Arms (Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:30pm) – Another pub, but this one serves freshly baked pizzas, which goes some way to explaining the venues popularity with the student crowd. With its iconic hand painted mural across the outside wall, you may recognise some famous faces.