Sitting in a coffee shop with Toby Moisey and Meghan Brady, it’s clear that the duo feed off each other’s energy and optimism.
They finish each others’ sentences and when one does not remember something, the other will chime in and have the answer.
It’s hard to believe that Moisey and Brady have only known each other since last summer.
“I was working at the Farmers’ Market in Hazelton and I saw Meghan a few times. I think fate just brought us together, we ran into each other at some music festivals as well,” said Moisey. “We started hanging out and playing music together and thought ‘let’s do gigs’.”
Moisey plays the flute, while Brady sings and plays the ukulele, along with the mandolin and guitar.
Together, along with Alfred Brady on drums, Gord Urban on stand-up bass and Orlando Wiebe on accordion, they form The Unusual Suspects.
“It’s jazzy with an accordion and a sense of humour,” said Moisey of the band’s music.
“It’s unusual because it’s a very musical community and we can just get together and play and sound like a band that’s been together for years.”
The band is one of the newest faces who will hit the stage at the Divas and Friends Variety Show on Saturday, March 21 at the Della Herman Theatre.
The annual fundraiser brings musicians together to help raise money for the Smithers Art Gallery.
This year’s theme is songs from the silver screen.
Some of the performers include Sweet Harmony, Local Vocals and the Flutations.
The Unusual Suspects are getting set to perform When You’re Good To Mama from the film Chicago and, as Brady, described them, the “odd-ball” choices of This Poem Sucks and Harriet, spoken-word poems from the film, So I Married An Axe Murderer.
“With the flute, accordion and bass it’s going to sound like a little orchestra,” said Moisey.
Wolfgang Loschberger and the band Recorda Borealis, which consists of four recorders and one violinist, will perform a baroque piece from the movie Die Hard and will continue with the Harry Lime theme from the movie The Third Man.
“This took us all by surprise, Poppy [Dunbar]requested we play songs from movies. Originally I planned to play classical chamber music,” said Loschberger, who has been involved with the event for many years.
“I had this Harry Lime theme in stock for a long time.”
This year’s performers are happy to be contributing to arts in the community.
“It’s nice to contribute to all aspects of the community. I’m glad that we’re doing it. The art gallery doesn’t get enough money from the governments, so it’s nice that we can help it get more,” said Moisey.
“It’s good that we get to use art to support art. You don’t get to do that all the time.”
Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for youth and are being sold at Mountain Eagle Books and SpeeDee Interior Stationary.
