Mid-century Flagstaff lodge's live music series benefits the environment

Let me set a scene. It's the middle of August, right in the gut of another brutal Arizona summer. It’s 68 degrees with a light breeze, and you are breaking out a s’mores kit in front of a cozy fire, one that ripples rays of light through the ice cubes of a life-altering (to me) cocktail called the Emerald Mile.

The part of Arizona you're in, enjoying that coveted temperature, is Flagstaff, and you're at a quirky little inn called the High Country Motor Lodge, a spot where fires and s'mores kits are available for partaking.

A live music series called The Fadeaway Sessions adds to the reasons to visit this homey spot.

This lodge is a vibe metamorphosis machine. The heady pine scent and welcoming atmosphere combine to encourage relaxation and the enjoyment of top-notch, curated bands.

Essentially, this series is a music pop-up, and you should pop in.

Each session features different acts, from solo musicians to full bands. I chatted about The Fadeaway Sessions with Adam Bruce, who handles booking, promotion and audio assistance.

“Yeah, it’s like a respite from the road for artists who are up-and-coming national acts, usually while they’re touring the country. Flagstaff is a unique small mountain town. It is the kind of place where people wanna come play, but unfortunately, it is such a small market. So, High Country Motor Lodge is giving them a place where they can stop and hang out. They get to stay for free, eat for free and then we produce video and audio recordings for the artist to keep and for the hotel group to use. They will be pressing records for albums which will be in the hotel rooms for their guests to listen to, and they were recorded and performed right here in the hotel,” Bruce said.
Bruce was also quick to credit Space Crafting, a music and design consultation project by Izzy Fradin and Marc and Rose Hospitality. The company hosts and supports the program in Flagstaff and another of its properties in Carmel, California.

The lodge's focus on showcasing exceptional artists matches its concern for comfort. The styles range from indie songwriters doing modern folk to avant-garde Americana acts to cosmic country. The night I experienced featured Los Angeles singer Pearl Charles, who was fresh off her European tour. Her cosmic country sound is peppered with '60s folk and lighter '70s rock.

To me, Pearl Charles and her band are a fistful of guitar tremolos who took a bus to Twangville to pick up Heart's Ann Wilson, gave her two quaaludes, and dropped her off in Joshua Tree to hang out with the ghost of Edie Brickell.

Charles was joined by a rhythm section, and together, they showed what truly seasoned songwriting and gorgeous lyrical approaches can amount to.

The performance I enjoyed with a crowd of venturesome travelers took place in front of a gorgeous black-and-white image of singer and environmental activist Katie Lee, emphasizing the series' purpose: "Guided by a vision born amidst high deserts and coastal waters, Fadeaway Sessions is a live music series created to support environmentally-focused nonprofits through 1% for the Planet. A curated soundscape dedicated to preserving the surrounding landscape," per its creators.

Nashville-based lap steel guitar player Luke Schneider appears on September 4, and The Oracle Sisters, an indie folk group from Paris, will perform on September 22. Shows are free and open to the public.