It’s December and the cold weather is officially here. While ski bums and shredders are rejoicing, others may be seeking a little respite to warm their frozen bones. Winters at The Suttle Lodge & Boathouse in the Deschutes National Forest are the time to cozy up by the warmth of a fire and take in intimate live music.
“We started the Fireside series in 2020 and we have been going strong ever since!” says Anne Wilson, the lodge’s sales manager.
From now through the middle of April, the lodge hosts its annual Fireside Concert Series on most Thursdays from 6 to 8pm. “Many of the artists we host are local-ish from Portland, but we also get musicians from all over traveling through on tour.”
This season’s lineup features Central Oregonians like guitar slinger Eric Leadbetter (Jan. 2), the shape-shifting Jeshua Marshall (Jan. 16), acoustic, singer/songwriter duo Alicia Viani and Mark Karwan (Feb. 13) and TEB’s Travis Ehrenstrom sharing his solo craft (March 20).
Seeing as it’s such a warm, inviting environment for both listeners and artists, The Suttle Lodge definitely receives its share of repeat performers, and the Source Weekly spoke to several of this year’s returning Fireside artists.
Source Weekly: Who are you and where are you from?
Austin Quattlebaum: Quattlebaum, born and raised in Savannah, Georgia, moved to Bend two years ago by way of Appalachia, the Sierras and Portland.
Karyn Ann: My name is Karyn Ann. I am a Portland-based singer/songwriter.
Joel Chadd: My name is Joel Chadd. I’m a singer/songwriter originally from the small logging town of Philomath, Oregon. I’ve called the high desert of Central Oregon and Bend my home now for 18 years.
SW: What kind of music do you make?
AQ: I like to call it weird-grass. More accurately it’s probably indie folk with a bluegrass edge.
KA: I call my music soulful Americana and mostly perform on guitar and piano.
JC: You could call it Americana folk with some alt-country in there. When I’m touring, I tend to play solo and that will lend itself to the singer/songwriter genre. I love to sing, that’s my main instrument. The acoustic guitar is what I perform and write songs with.
SW: Sounds like you’ve played the lodge before. What do you love about it?
AQ: I love playing out at Suttle Lodge — such a beautiful and inspiring place. Playing inside the lodge is even cooler because the rafters overhead, great acoustics and the cozy atmosphere makes it feel like playing inside of a guitar.
KA: I like how it’s surrounded by nature and the feeling of being secluded in a forest. The lodge staff are super friendly, and the audiences are really kind and attentive.
JC: Suttle Lodge is such a supportive and welcoming space for an artist like myself and so many of my friends. To have a gig out there is kind of like attending an artist retreat of some sort. It’s a special place to share music for sure. The indoor building has a real warmth and welcoming vibe to it, plus good acoustics. The staff is also a big part of what makes it great, just easygoing with good vibes.
SW: What can we expect from your Fireside set?
AQ: A wide range of original material. Unique banjo arrangements, some cello banjo and a few choice covers.
KA: I’ll be performing my previous releases from the past few years, as well as previewing new tunes from my forthcoming new album set to be recorded this January 2025.
JC: You can expect heart-forward original songs with vocal harmonies and catchy melody lines that’ll leave you wanting more. I’ll be joined by my friend and talented pedal steel player, Evan Forsythe. It’s going to be a great night of music and stories at a historic cabin on a beautiful lake — what more could you want?
SW: Have any new music to share? What’s next for you?
AQ: Hibernating this winter with the intention of putting out two new EPs. This will be my only home market play this winter!
KA: I recently released a new four-song EP called “Consequence of Fear.”
JC: I’m prepping to be back in the studio in January to record a new batch of songs that I hope to start sharing in the summer of ’25.
Karyn Ann plays The Suttle Lodge’s Fireside Series on Thursday, Jan. 9, Austin Quattlebaum on Thursday, March 27 and Joel Chadd on Thursday, April 17.
This article appears in Source Weekly December 19, 2024.
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