The band previously known as Room 202 have reinvented themselves as the Pacific. A move lead singer and acoustic guitarist Zishan Abdullah said stemmed from the fact that “we’re all west coast boys and love the city we live in. I’ve always had an affinity for the coast, all the way from beautiful BC to the sandy beaches of California.”
Bassist Earl Moya and lead guitarist Rosendo Flores are the other two founding members from Room 202. Rhythm guitarist Rick Nolet and touring drummer Jarren Louie are relatively new additions, and they did wonders to elevate the group’s sound during their performance at Studio Records on June 25. The Pacific opened for other local bands Gold & Shadow, In Bliss, and Hawking.
Abdullah talked about some of his favourite songs to perform: “I’m going to have to go with “Vibration.” We played it for the first time and boy did we feel it. I also really like “Lost Souls.” A lot of our fans are about to finish school and step into the ‘grown-up’ world now. That song touches on the topic, and how easy it is for us to get lost in our own worlds. It’s different, it’s scary, and it’s getting real.”
Abdullah is intimately familiar with those feelings, having recently graduated from UBC. This is good news for fans, though, because that means that “I have more time to commit to the band. I’m an engineer by day and a musician by night, and we’re going to fly at the speed of light from here on out. This is an exciting time in all of our lives and I really hope we can make some solid memories as a band and with our fans.”
They certainly made some memories with fans at Studio Records. Between group sing-alongs to crowd-pleasing covers — namely “I Want You to Want Me” by Cheap Trick and “This Love” by Maroon 5 — and their infectious energy, we all went home with fond recollections. Their cover of Hedley’s “Hello” was also a winner that night, pumping up the crowd with their stage presence, despite the tight fit of five guys on a small stage.
Moya was super groovy, a true delight to watch, and Flores hit those solo notes with the touch of an old pro. The Pacific’s songs are alternative rock with some pop thrown in for good measure. They love what they do, and they do it well. “Always strive for excellence and success will follow you everywhere you go,” is some free advice from Abdullah.
With the new project, the band has left some of their older Room 202 songs off their setlist, stating that their goal is to create brand new material for their shows. “The band really takes pride in putting on an entertaining performance for our fans and making sure they get what they came for,” Abdullah told The Peak.
“We definitely may throw in some favourites from Room 202 once in a while, because who doesn’t love “European Girl”?” The song is arguably their most famous original creation, and garnered plenty of appreciation and anticipation at Studio Records.
They don’t have an EP available yet, but they are hoping to get one out once they’ve finished writing new songs for it. “We are working hard to make sure every song on that EP is well-written and purposeful.” You can still catch them this summer though. They’re hoping to work out a tour of Western Canada once more songs are ready to be performed, but you can see them at the Roxy sometime this August.
