Suntou Susso, Natalie Holmes, + 1 TBC

Following two memorable nights, Bristol Song Circle returns to Rough Trade Bristol on Wednesday 11 November. In our cosy, seated setting, three songwriters take it in turns to perform their songs and talk about how they came to be. It’s part gig, part interview, and part songwriting get-together; an evening for hearing great songs and getting under their bonnet.

Suntou Susso brings something rather special to the circle. A multi-instrumentalist, singer, and composer from The Gambia, he was born into the Griot tradition, a 700-year-old Mandinka lineage of musicians and storytellers preserving history and culture. His primary instrument is the kora, a 22-string harp-lute, and his music draws on Afro-Manding traditions alongside folk, jazz, funk, and soul. His multi-award-winning second album “Jaliya Silokang (The Path of a Griot)” was released in 2025, with 2026 bringing a 29-date UK solo tour.

Natalie Holmes is a Bristol-based alt-pop songwriter whose music moves between the intimate and the experimental. Her self-produced debut album “Vitamin Be” earned praise from BBC Radio 2, BBC 6 Music, Clash and EARMILK, while her work as a vocalist includes performances at the Hollywood Bowl and Royal Albert Hall. Holmes’ inventive second album “Opposite Day” arrived last year, blending dreamy soundscapes, introspective ballads, and upbeat anthems.

We can’t quite announce our third artist just yet, as they have an upcoming show in Bristol this month. We’d say more, but we don’t want to babble on. Those of you who enjoy a spot of detective work might just be able to make something of that.

Just one more thing… As always, the evening will be hosted by Blair Dunlop, who is more inquisitive than Columbo, and (we suspect) a much better songwriter to boot. With his new album “What Still Survives” released on 30 October, we’re hoping he’ll be persuaded to slip a song or two of his own into the evening.

Think of it as wandering into a private jam session, pulling up a chair, and staying a whole lot longer than planned.