Flower Power

By Erica Eades, Assistant Arts Editor

After a near-exposure to food poisoning at a local restaurant and a minor run-in with the Halifax Regional Police, Toronto band Great Bloomers took to the stage at the Paragon on Oct. 22 to charm crowds with their roots-tinged rock music and warm stage presence.

The band played a significantly smaller show the previous night at the T-Room, which saw an audience of no more than 40 people. But regardless of the size of their crowd, Great Bloomers played a flawless set that was full of energy and friendly banter. The audience took notice and responded with overwhelming support and admiration for the band.

The Paragon offered a much larger turnout; reaching its capacity just moments before Great Bloomers were set to play. After opening the show with “Small Town Love,” their recently released 7” single, the band went on to play songs from their highly acclaimed album, *Speak of Trouble*. They also threw in some older singles and brand new songs to even out the performance.

Great Bloomers’ unique sound boasts fluid vocal harmonies and instrumental prestige that has a degree of professionalism rarely found in today’s new music scene. This talent stems from the fact that four out of the five members have studied music at a post-secondary level. Combined with the songwriting ability of lead singer and guitarist, Lowell Sostomi, Great Bloomers are a stand-out act in the Canadian music realm.

The audience at the Paragon was initially unresponsive; likely because Great Bloomers stood out from the booze rock sound of the evening’s headliners, The Hold Steady. But showgoers quickly recognized the supreme talent of the young Ontario natives, and it was only a matter of time before everyone in attendance was dancing and singing along to their folk-rock tales of young love, old friends, and small-town life.

Salmonella and police encounters aside, Great Bloomers said they were happy to be back in Halifax.