Tennis Hits A Grand Slam At Beacon Theatre Show

The biggest musical event this past Saturday night in New York City was Bruce Springsteen’s highly anticipated show at Madison Square Garden, his first performance in the Big Apple in seven years. And while it seemed like every rock fan was inside the ‘World’s Greatest Arena’ to see the Boss, the indie pop act Tennis drew a huge crowd of their own at the smaller-sized Beacon Theatre that same night.

For the initiated, the music of the Denver-based Tennis (the wife-and-husband duo of singer/keyboardist Alaina Moore and guitarist Patrick Riley) hearkens lo-fi pop, dream pop, surf music, the ’60s Brill building sound, ’70s AM radio, and contemporary electropop. Since their 2011 debut album Cape Dory, Moore and Riley have created a satisfying consistent body of work that is melodic, lush and soulful, complemented by romantic lyrics inspired by their longtime personal relationship and marriage.

Tennis’ New York City tour stop coincided with their sixth studio album Pollen, which came out in late February. In describing the record, Moore said in a press statement ahead of Pollen‘s release: “We wanted to write a big album, something suited for radio, but our songs don’t follow conventional pop structures. Instead of choruses with universal themes, I write with a specificity that is new to me, narrowing in on the smallest details of our lives. The more we try to broaden our scope, the more we turn inward.”

Accompanied by bassist Ryan Tullock and drummer Steve Voss—and surrounded by a backdrop and beams of lights that conveyed a dreamy atmospheric vibe—Moore and Riley performed a good number of songs off the new record (among them “Forbidden Doors,” “One Night With the Valet,” “Hotel Valet,” and “Pollen Song”). They nestled quite nicely with the other Tennis songs from the earlier albums such as “Need Your Love,” “Matrimony” and “In the Morning I’ll Be Better.” Their three song-encore included “I’ll Haunt You” and “Glorietta” (off of Pollen), which ended the evening on a rocking high note.

The enthusiastic Beacon crowd feted Moore and Riley like conquering heroes: nearly everyone in the orchestra section stood up from their seats for the entire 90-minute show. Along with the other members of the band, the couple rose the occasion, highlighted by Moore’s sensuous singing and dazzling keyboard playing, and Riley’s lyrical and shimmering guitar playing. A moment of levity occurred mid-set when Moore fielded questions from the audience on the topics of relationships, which seemed appropriate given how much the couple’s personal story plays a huge part in their music; it is also sort of refreshing at a time when such sentimentality is not often in vogue in indie music.

The Beacon show proved how far Moore and Riley have come a long way in Tennis’ career since the time they performed at the now-defunct Lower East Side music venue Cake Shop over 10 years ago —an anecdote that Moore referenced in between songs. While it may not have the gargantuan crowd numbers of the Springsteen show that took place 40 blocks below, Tennis’ concert attracted a large turnout of fans who experienced their own version of spectacle and magic.

Setlist:

One Night with the Valet

My Emotions Are Blinding

Ladies Don’t Play Guitar

Runner

Forbidden Doors

Matrimony

Needle and a Knife

Paper

Diamond Rings

Hotel Valet

No Exit

In The Morning I’ll Be Better

How to Forgive

Let’s Make a Mistake Tonight

Pollen Song

Need Your Love

Encore:

I’ll Haunt You

My Better Self

Glorietta