Like Pacific @ Out of the Blue

Like Pacific with Broadside, Rarity, Boston Manor, and Acadia
October 12th, 2016 at Out of the Blue
By: Moin Khwaja

Art galleries are usually known for being quiet and peaceful, so throwing crazy punk shows at one would not be the first thing that comes to mind. During the day, Out of the Blue Art Gallery, located in Central Square, Cambridge, boasts a variety of local art and handmade clothing for sale, but at night all of the stands are moved to the side to play host to some local shows. Hosting only 100 people, and with bands playing on the floor, the shows are very intimate. This particular night the space hosted three bands in support of Like Pacific and their new album.

Toronto’s Like Pacific released their debut album, Distant Like You Asked, earlier this year, grabbing the attention of many pop punk fans. As part of their first headlining tour, the band brought Broadside, Rarity, and Boston Manor on the road. The Keynote Company, who hosted the show, brought local band Acadia for the show at OotB. The crowd knew all of the opening acts, with pits opening up and crowd surfers up in the air. Broadside, who may be considered bigger than Like Pacific, brought the most energy that night with their hit, “Coffee Talk.”

My favorite thing about these types of floor shows is that there is nothing separating the band from the crowd. The crowd rushing the singer, fans surfing right above the equipment, and the band dancing with the crowd make these shows feel alive. By the time the main band came on, the crowd was ready to make sure the night ended on a high note. Like Pacific hit it off from the get-go with their album opener “Richmond,” following the tried and true formula for pop punk songs – catchy guitar intros, fast power chords, and sing along choruses. The crowd was brought off their feet and in the air jumping to the beat. The band was also very active while they played – the guitarist frequently unplugged his equipment from jumping and shredding too hard. The set itself was only thirty minutes, but felt like only five due to how much fun the band and the crowd enjoyed it. The band frequently thanked the crowd, saying how surreal it was for them to be so far from home and still be able to find people who knew the words to their songs, encouraging the crowd to get closer and sing louder. It seemed like the group definitely got one of their first tastes of fame during this show despite the intimate atmosphere. The show ended with their song, “Distant,” the most popular track off their album, Distant Like You Asked, and definitely brought out the right emotions from the crowd, causing everyone to go crazy. After the show, members of the bands chilled out by their merch tables, taking photos and signing CDs. There were promises exchanged to be back in the Boston area next year. With a following that seems to be quickly growing and large acts to support them on their rise, Like Pacific is going definitely going to be playing bigger and bigger shows every year and I urge you to check them out at one of them.