Open mic night

Under The Hammer holds its open mic night every Tuesday from 8pm, with the next one on Tuesday 27 October. It's a live music night in the same format you'd expect: the stage is open to whoever turns up with an instrument, so the line-up changes from week to week. If you've got something you've been working on, it's a spot to get it in front of people; if you're just coming for the music, you'll get a mix of whoever happens to be around that night.

The venue is Under The Hammer, at 11 North Silver Street, AB10 1RJ. It's been around for more than 40 years, and these days it's run by expert mixologist Lisa MacLeod and her team. They're known for their own creations, like the Nuts For Bananas and the Teaches of Peaches, and the bar stocks more than 30 different wines alongside sharing platters. It's a relaxed, dimly lit space, the kind of place that works just as well for a drink and a chat as it does for sitting back and listening to whoever is on stage.

Because it's an open mic, the night is as much about the room as the music. You'll find people who come every week to play, alongside those who only pop in when they've got a new song to test out. It's a low-pressure environment, and since it runs every Tuesday, there's always another chance if you're not feeling it this time around. If you're just there to listen, you'll hear a different set of voices and styles each week, and the sharing platters make it easy to settle in for the whole evening.

It starts at 8pm on Tuesday 27 October at Under The Hammer, 11 North Silver Street, AB10 1RJ. If you're planning to play, it's worth arriving a bit early to get your name down.