Flaysher, a country-rock duo comprising two Airdrie-born brothers, will take their talents to the stage for a concert that will benefit a foundation that deals with trauma and loss.
Brad and Ryan, the Airdrie-born brothers of Flaysher, have partnered with the Airdrie-based Thumb’s Up Foundation for a third annual “One More Light” performance, a fundraiser dedicated to raising money for suicide prevention and mental health awareness that will be hosted at the King Eddy in downtown Calgary on January 27. This year, the pair will be joined on the stage by fellow Airdrie artists Megan Dawson and Brettyn Rose.
“One More Light is a different kind of show for us…it’s a little more intimate, [we’re] trying to pull back the veil a little bit and share a great experience with people that are closest to us,” said Brad.
Mental health and suicide prevention is something that the brothers are tragically familiar with; their cousin Tyler took his own life and Brad’s best friend Dakota died by suicide in 2021.
“There is a lot of processing of emotions,” said Brad, the elder Flaysher brother. “It’s a great way to tell stories…it’s also nice to kind of funnel negative emotion into something positive and reach out to listeners to connect and show them that you understand.”
Music can be a great therapeutic tool as a way to express emotions that normal words could never do justice to. For Flaysher, the music they create and the performances they give are a way for them to process complicated emotions.
“Another thing we really strive for with this show is bringing people together,” said Ryan. “Acknowledging the subject matter and trying to push mental health forward, and at the same time try to bring everyone together and have a good time. It’s definitely a balance for us at the show.”
Close to $10,000 has been raised since the first “One More Light” performance three years ago. Brad said that, with the money that has been raised, it’s been nice to see the difference the Thumbs Up Foundation has made in Airdrie.
Aside from the money that is raised, the cathartic release of emotion that comes with music– be it in performance or regular listening– has a big part to play in the healing process.
“Just going out and having a great time, that’s what is so great about music,” said Brad. “It can follow you on your journey–whether you’re out for a good time with friends or processing something that happened to you, music is along for the [ride].”
