About Us

Welcome to the The Open Mic Surgery!

The Open Mic Surgery is an acoustic night that happens every wednesday night, 9 pm, upstairs at the Stubbing Wharf pub, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire.

We are a platform for music by the people, for the people.

It is free to play, free to come and listen!

It is a thriving, energetic and welcoming night, that attracts a wide range of people and musical styles, from teenagers to pensioners, blues to cutting edge contemporary acoustic music.

Everyone gets the chance to perform one song, (or tune, or poem…..). If the energy’s right and there’s enough time, they may get a second go.

You bring the music, the attention and the vibe. We provide a chair, a spotlight and a house guitar anyone can borrow.

The evening’s entertainment is compered alternately by founder-members Josh Phillips and Mabel Blue. The whole show is kept on the road by a committee of devoted music lovers. We are a not-for profit constituted body dontchaknow. See our aims page if you want to know more about us and what we believe in!

As well as the wednesday night Surgery, OMS also organises special music events in and around Hebden Bridge, serving as a showcase for local talent, sometimes complemented by exceptional acts from further afield. See our home page for details.

A little story about how we got our name….......

One evening, when our acoustic night was still in it’s infancy, and didn’t even have a name yet, a bunch of us were milling around preparing the room for an evening of entertainment. Josh noticed that founder-member Dave Nixon was looking very busy and industrious wielding a soldering iron hunched over a microphone. “What’s Dave doing?” asked Josh of Mabel…. “He is performing open mic surgery!” she replied. So it was that our night got it’s name. Which is funny really, because we don’t use microphones at the wednesday night sessions any more. We are completely unplugged!