Since the days of cowboys pushing cattle across the range, listening to music by a campfire has helped smooth over a rough day and take the chill out of a cold night. Guitars seem to make the fire a little warmer and the campfire makes the music a little sweeter. That tradition still stands today and its legacy is honored throughout Central Oregon.
Music by the Hearth
Tucked in the middle of the Deschutes National Forest, The Suttle Lodge & Boathouse hosts their Fireside Music Series most Thursdays, from October through May. Music lovers drive 14 miles northeast of Sisters, Oregon to listen to musicians from across the region perform by the fireside hearth inside the Skip Bar & Restaurant. The Suttle Lodge & Boathouse includes a large timber-framed lodge, lakeside cabins, camp cabins, and boathouse situated on Suttle Lake. Warm weather fun includes boating, fishing, hiking, and biking, while winters host skiing and snowshoeing.
But each fall through spring, the Fireside Music Series invites guests from all over Oregon to stargaze, enjoy a drink and their brand of “cascadian cuisine,” and of course, listen to quality musicianship in a cozy atmosphere. The 2022 series ends with guitarist Marissa Anderson, who is re-imagining the landscape of American music through blues, jazz, gospel and country music. Reservations are required and ticket prices do vary. Guests staying the night in a cabin or room at the lodge can enjoy the music for free. TheSuttleLodge.com
Music by the Campfire
Just east of Downtown Bend, the Campfire Hotel is a newly-renovated, 100-room boutique hotel with a courtyard made for intimate music performances. Anchored by a huge gas-powered fire pit, the Campfire Hotel showcases musicians every Thursday throughout the year. Framing the performance area is a heated pool, hot tub, the Canteen Bar, and a 10-foot tall wood camp chair. “We’re bringing artists from around Central Oregon and around the world to the Campfire for intimate acoustic performances,” says Stacy Koff of 4 Peaks Presents. “It’s really a warm and welcoming vibe for performers and audiences alike.”
4 Peaks Presents books local, regional, and world-touring artists to perform their music directly to the fans sitting near the cozy fire pit. Upcoming events include the Santa Cruz rock band Coffis Brothers, local Americana guitarist Bill Powers, and Brazilian multi-instrumentalist musician Gustavo Fofao. Situated just north of NE Franklin Avenue, between NE Second and NE Third Streets, the rustic Campfire Hotel extends the music tradition by including playable instruments from Dean or Breedlove Guitars that are found in each room. “In my opinion, the setting, the lighting, and the big fire make Campfire Hotel different than other venues in town,” says Powers, whose band Honey Don’t just released its third album Threadbare. “It’s relaxed and even though folks are visiting it still feels intimate.”
Powers loves the campfire experience so much that he is hosting some performances around the fire at his house in West Bend. Like a lot of Central Oregon musicians, he honed his skills picking bluegrass tunes under the moon in late-night, open-air jams. A roaring fire, whether at a lodge or in a backyard, brings people together to settle in and listen or grab their instruments and join the fun. CampfireHotel.com
Fireside Music Series
April 7 Lindsay Clark
April 14 Sarah Clarke
April 28 Mike Coykendall
May 5 Johnny Franco
May 12 Hayley Heynderickx
May 19 Ryan Sollee
May 26 Marissa Anderson
Campfire Hotel
April 7 Matti Joy
April 14 The Miller Twins
April 21 Jeshua Marshall
April 28 Karyn Ann
May 5 Cinco de Mayo Celebration
May 12 The Coffis Brothers
May 19 Arthur Buezo
May 26 John Payne
June 2 Tyler Hartman
June 9 Bill Powers
June 16 Gabe Hess
June 30 Gustavo Fofao
