There are very few bands that have successfully put out flawless albums consistently back to back so I was rather astonished and heartbroken to hear the news that Alaina Moore and Patrick Riley's indie-pop project Tennis was coming to an end. They performed last month at the Salt Shed for what seemed to be their biggest show in Chicago to date, a fitting farewell to the band. Tennis' final album, Face Down in the Garden came out earlier this spring and it's such a bittersweet experience. Tennis revamps their classic sound on their new record that is packed with mellow yet catchy tunes that seems= to play through pretty quickly as it runs just under half an hour leaving the listener yearning for more. And while we won't be getting any more, thankfully they have an extensive catalogue of music to revisit!
After a brief set by singer songwriter Billie Marten, Tennis spared no time reigning the stage for their final performance in Chicago under their current moniker. Lead singer Alaina Moore’s confidence radiated as she gave Chicago one last spectacle of a performance alongside her bandmate and life partner Patrick Riley. Considering it was their farewell tour, the duo played a beautiful assortment of tracks spanning across their whole discography; incorporating the hits as well as some unexpected rarities.
As biased as I may be about this, I was thrilled that they favored their previous album Pollen and let so many pf those songs into their set including “One Night With the Valet,” “Hotel Valet,” and even a mashup of “Glorietta” and “Pillow For a Cloud.” “Diamond Rings,” potentially my all time favorite Tennis song, was certainly a pleasant surprise! They also played a heartfelt performance of their lead single “Weight of Desire” off their new album and I am so grateful I was able to hear this song at least once live. Honestly every song felt infinitely more special because of the finality of the the whole affair.
Closing out the show with some favorites from their 2020 album, Swimmer, the mood in the room grew poignant as the reality of the end of Tennis was setting in for fans. “Need Your Love” precluded their two-song encore, which was a remarkable ending to their final show in Chicago. Moore came back on stage to perform a gorgeous rendition of “I’ll Haunt You” leading into the rejuvenating track “Pollen Song.” The only thing that was left to be desired from this show was for Tennis to have incorporated a few more tracks from their latest album, however this being their farewell tour in conjunction with promoting Face Down in the Garden, it was understandable why they decided to play a handful of songs from each album.
Tennis has graced the indie music scene with wondrous music that evokes both feelings of affection and nostalgia. It quite literally is dismal to be writing a farewell review for a band that I have been listening to for years and years and that has the capability of continuing, but I understand and respect their tough decision not to. However, I do not believe that this is the last we’ve seen or heard of Patrick & Alaina, at least in this form. It is truly the end of an era and I will be the first in line the minute word gets out on any new project by either of these two vastly talented individuals. Tennis will forever remain in my heart (and ears) and though they may not be a band after this cycle, I will continue to share their music with everyone as they have become one of the staple indie bands in my music rotation. Thank you Alaina and Patrick and thank you Tennis for sharing your glorious music with the world!
All photos by Andrew Lagunas.
