Review: Tennis
Photo and Review by Deanna Gaudet
November 24, 2017
Having survived the Black Friday rush, an expectant crowd packed into San Diego’s Music Box to snag one last deal: a performance by husband-and-wife duo Tennis.
Portland-based Wild Ones opened the show with a display of dignified cosmopolitan style. The five-piece’s atmospheric dream pop relies heavily on delayed guitar and ethereal synths, with lead singer Danielle Sullivan injecting irresistible vocal charm. Performances of songs such as “No Money” juxtaposed Sullivan’s innocent, soft-toned vocals with a poignant critique of consumerist culture.
Between songs, Sullivan took time to share stories and more. This performance was a homecoming for them in a sense, as Sullivan shared her gratitude for their San Diego label Topshelf Records. She also took a moment to recall a show in Cleveland during which the band was given $60 by a drunk audience member to play a cover of the Beastie Boys classic “Sabotage.” The members of Wild Ones clearly had a healthy sense of humor, teasing the audience with a few seconds of said tune. Their performance overall was tidy yet alluring, showcasing the power of female-led acts and acting as a fitting primer for what was up next.
After only a short period of waiting, the lights onstage dimmed just long enough for a few shadowy figures to appear. Three-fourths of Tennis walked onto the darkened stage, taking their places before one final silhouette emerged. The scene was illuminated to reveal curly-haired Alaina Moore, standing confidently at a keyboard in a plunge-neck blouse tucked into khaki bootcut corduroys. Her husband, guitarist Patrick Riley, made an effort to shine as well, sporting a loose-fitting blue sequined shirt.
Tennis dove in first with the title track from their new EP No Exit, a bubbly 80’s-inspired pop song that would make Cyndi Lauper herself proud. This track set the tone for a set of similarly twinkling pieces. On stage, even the background players contributed to the polished look and sound of the band. Moore mostly swayed behind her keyboard, while Riley let loose to even his simplest riffs.
Every song received a refreshingly enthusiastic response from the audience, who could be observed grooving to the many sounds inspired by the duo’s experiences sailing the ocean. Audience members bounced to the melodic “hey hey heys” of the song “I’m Callin,” singing every “hey” with boundless spirit. It felt like a carefree summer on the beach as Moore’s voice echoed angelically throughout the venue.
Moore’s desire to give her music context resulted in several of the songs being preceded by brief anecdotes. She included a dig at her former workplace in her introduction to “Marathon,” the first song she ever wrote. “[Tennis] survived longer than American Apparel!” she snickered. Another song was introduced as a love song to her anxiety. Yet another was an anniversary gift to her husband. The set was also filled with shout-outs to dedicated fans who had seen multiple shows and had come from other cities to see their performance that night. The appreciation the band shared for their fans was enamoring.
There was a short pause before Tennis returned with a few final songs to round out the night. For the last track, the rhythm section departed the stage and Moore stepped away from her keyboard. With only a minimal guitar line, the two offered an intimate, stripped-down version of their song “Island Music” before wishing the audience a heartfelt goodnight. In these moments and countless others throughout the show, Moore and Riley revealed both a romantic and artistic partnership that is truly priceless.
Having survived the Black Friday rush, an expectant crowd packed into San Diego’s Music Box to snag one last deal: a performance by husband-and-wife duo Tennis.
Portland-based Wild Ones opened the show with a display of dignified cosmopolitan style. The five-piece’s atmospheric dream pop relies heavily on delayed guitar and ethereal synths, with lead singer Danielle Sullivan injecting irresistible vocal charm. Performances of songs such as “No Money” juxtaposed Sullivan’s innocent, soft-toned vocals with a poignant critique of consumerist culture.
Between songs, Sullivan took time to share stories and more. This performance was a homecoming for them in a sense, as Sullivan shared her gratitude for their San Diego label Topshelf Records. She also took a moment to recall a show in Cleveland during which the band was given $60 by a drunk audience member to play a cover of the Beastie Boys classic “Sabotage.” The members of Wild Ones clearly had a healthy sense of humor, teasing the audience with a few seconds of said tune. Their performance overall was tidy yet alluring, showcasing the power of female-led acts and acting as a fitting primer for what was up next.
After only a short period of waiting, the lights onstage dimmed just long enough for a few shadowy figures to appear. Three-fourths of Tennis walked onto the darkened stage, taking their places before one final silhouette emerged. The scene was illuminated to reveal curly-haired Alaina Moore, standing confidently at a keyboard in a plunge-neck blouse tucked into khaki bootcut corduroys. Her husband, guitarist Patrick Riley, made an effort to shine as well, sporting a loose-fitting blue sequined shirt.
Tennis dove in first with the title track from their new EP No Exit, a bubbly 80’s-inspired pop song that would make Cyndi Lauper herself proud. This track set the tone for a set of similarly twinkling pieces. On stage, even the background players contributed to the polished look and sound of the band. Moore mostly swayed behind her keyboard, while Riley let loose to even his simplest riffs.
Every song received a refreshingly enthusiastic response from the audience, who could be observed grooving to the many sounds inspired by the duo’s experiences sailing the ocean. Audience members bounced to the melodic “hey hey heys” of the song “I’m Callin,” singing every “hey” with boundless spirit. It felt like a carefree summer on the beach as Moore’s voice echoed angelically throughout the venue.
Moore’s desire to give her music context resulted in several of the songs being preceded by brief anecdotes. She included a dig at her former workplace in her introduction to “Marathon,” the first song she ever wrote. “[Tennis] survived longer than American Apparel!” she snickered. Another song was introduced as a love song to her anxiety. Yet another was an anniversary gift to her husband. The set was also filled with shout-outs to dedicated fans who had seen multiple shows and had come from other cities to see their performance that night. The appreciation the band shared for their fans was enamoring.
There was a short pause before Tennis returned with a few final songs to round out the night. For the last track, the rhythm section departed the stage and Moore stepped away from her keyboard. With only a minimal guitar line, the two offered an intimate, stripped-down version of their song “Island Music” before wishing the audience a heartfelt goodnight. In these moments and countless others throughout the show, Moore and Riley revealed both a romantic and artistic partnership that is truly priceless.