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Lets Play Tennis! : The Indie Pop Duo, Not The Sport
- Mariana Servin
- May 27
- 8 min read
When I say “I love Tennis!”, I am not referring to the sport. I am as a matter of fact referring to one of the best indie pop duos ever (dare I say cutest husband and wife duo in the music industry). I first stumbled upon Tennis back in the winter of '23 when I heard their song “Let's Make a Mistake Tonight”. It wasn't until that summer when I first heard “How to Forgive” and it instantly became my favorite song at the time. Nearly a year and a half later, it was also the song that brought me back to the band.
It had been a while since I last heard “How To Forgive”, and it wasn’t until November 2024 that I stumbled across it again after going through one of my older playlists. I’m not exactly sure what it was about the song this time, but it sparked a huge urge to dive back into Tennis and play it. Instead of swinging a racket, I found myself swaying to the melodies, synths, rhythms, and vocals. And instead of keeping my eyes on the ball, I was locked into the beautifully written lyrics that brought me a sense of comfort. By the time I finished listening through their entire discography, it felt like I had just won Wimbledon.
Tennis has become one of my all time favorite bands. By fusing the allure of 1950s pop with the relaxed vibes of 1970s soft rock, Alaina Moore and Patrick Riley have created a sound that is wholly original. I absolutely cannot get enough of the resulting blend of nostalgia and modernity.
Listening to their music always makes me feel like I’m being held tightly and comforted which is why it saddened me to hear that Tennis was retiring from music after releasing Face Down in the Garden, which is their 7th and last studio album. When they announced their Farewell Tour, I immediately checked to see if they’d be stopping in Chicago. When I saw they were, I wasted no time doing everything I could to score a ticket to their show at the Salt Shed.
So, let's talk about Tennis and The Farewell Tour.
The Farewell Tour at Salt Shed:
Surrounded in a purple glow and drifting fog, Tennis emerged onto the stage like a dream coming to life on May 24th. As the crowd erupted in cheers, the first notes of “I Can Only Describe You” began to fly through the air creating a dreamy vibe and setting the scene for the rest of the show.
I was really impressed with the visuals, lighting, and the amount of instruments being played. I noticed that the main colors in both the visuals and lighting were purple, blue, occasionally orange and some pink. I thought those colors really added to the atmosphere of the concert and really emphasized the dreamy vibe that Tennis had going on. I was also impressed by the number of instruments that were present on stage.
Alaina Moore is the lead and only vocalist who was switching between playing the keyboards and electric guitar depending on the song. Patrick Riley is the main guitarist of the band who would also switch between electric guitars, keyboards, and the bass. They were also accompanied by another bassist and a drummer.
Alaina’s and Patrick’s stage chemistry is unmatched. I noticed that every time Patrick launched into a guitar solo, he would completely shift his body towards where Alaina was standing or sitting and would directly look at her. It felt like he was speaking to her in code, using his guitar instead of words. As an audience member, you could sense there was more to those solos than just sound. It was almost as if each note whispered, “I love you.” Whenever Alaina was singing or playing, she’d occasionally glance over at Patrick with a smile, almost like she was responding to him in their shared rhythm.
Hearing My Favorite Songs Live:
“Weight Of Desire” is one of my favorite songs from Face Down In The Garden and was the first single to be released from the album back in February. When I originally heard it, I found myself drawn to the melody and its captivating lyrics. I have always felt a deep connection to this song. Something about the lyrics mirror emotions that I have carried but never knew how to say out loud.
The moment I heard the first few opening notes of “Weight of Desire,” I froze. I stood there completely still, bracing myself to fully absorb every second of it. It was such a beautiful song to hear live. The ocean wave visuals during the song were a perfect touch. It added to the feeling of passion, dreaming, and longing. As the night goes on, Tennis takes a small pause and then Patrick begins to play the riff to “Runner” and oh how the crowd exploded with excitement . As Alaina delivered the opening line, “Runner, I know you’re living with a wild hunger” the entire room joined in and sang along with her. You could sense the energy loop between Tennis and the audience; each applause and lyric that was sung back seemed to energize them even more. Being able to experience “Runner” live was a full-on fangirl moment for me. It had me starstruck. It’s my number one favorite song in all of Tennis’s discography, and hearing it in person? Next level. Alaina delivers it with such raw passion and electric energy, you can’t help but feel amazing while listening. It’s one of those songs that instantly lifts your mood and makes you want to sing (or scream) every word. The lyrics? So clever, so creative. They use biblical references in their metaphorical analogies to capture the feeling of having conflicting feelings about the past. I was beyond happy that I was able to hear this song live.
When Tennis played “How To Forgive”, I felt like I was 19 again, in my bedroom with Tennis performing in the center of it. As I previously mentioned, “How To Forgive” is special to me because it’s the song that brought me back to Tennis, “If I never heard it again, I probably wouldn’t be here right now” is a thought that came to mind. I couldn’t stop smiling during the entire song. Pure happiness and gratitude hit me all at once as I sang along.
I think “How To Forgive” is one of the songs that can really hold you down during times of anger. The message of the song is to accept the idea that forgiveness and letting go of anger are necessary. It's the understanding that whoever is clinging to the hurt has the ability to free everyone from it as well. The song expresses the challenging but essential choice to end the cycle of resentment in order to start the healing process. That’s why it's also ranked high (for me) from the Tennis discography. Alaina and Patrick beautifully capture the emotional tug-of-war between wanting to forgive and holding onto resentment. One of the lyrics from “How To Forgive” is something that I have started telling myself during moments of frustration: “I’d move on if I could only remember, All that it takes is just an act of surrender”. It’s a reminder to accept what’s happened and let go of pride, to choose forgiveness and move forward instead of staying stuck in anger.
As soon as I heard the hi-hats kick in on “Need Your Love,” I knew this would be one of my all-time favorite concert moments. The song’s shifting tempo gives it such a unique feel. The verses move at a noticeably faster pace than the chorus (45 bpm), which creates this push-pull tension that hits even harder in person. It’s like the piano and drums are in a rhythmic conversation, occasionally elevated by the electric guitar, each instrument adding its own layer of urgency and emotion. Throughout the concert, Tennis kept blowing me away with how closely their live performance matched the quality of their studio recordings. “Need Your Love” sounded just as flawless live as it does on the album. The crowd was dancing, jumping, and singing along with Alaina like it was their song too. It was clear from the energy in the room that Chicago’s favorites were definitely “Runner” and “Need Your Love”.
Feeding off the crowd’s energy once more, Alaina’s vocals grew even more powerful and electrifying. Patrick turned to face her as he played his electric guitar, while Alaina stayed locked into the piano—both completely immersed in the music and the moment. Every so often, they’d steal a glance at each other and smile, like they were sharing a private joy in the middle of all the noise.
Having “How To Forgive” and “Need Your Love” back to back was such a smart move on Tennis. Both songs feed off of each other and are just perfect next to one another. It was also a great way to end the main set of The Farewell Tour
One of the encore songs Tennis performed was “I’ll Haunt You.” As soft yellow hues lit the stage and the melancholy piano melody began, it started to sink in that this would be the last time they’d ever perform in Chicago. Alaina’s vocals were hauntingly beautiful, and Patrick played the keys with such tenderness, it felt like time slowed down. “I’ll Haunt You” is easily in my top three. Its dreamy, delicate sound wraps around you and gently pulls you into a reflection on everything you’ve been through, everything you’ve felt, and all the memories that quietly live with you. When Alaina sang, “How long can we stay like this?”, the crowd sang with her with such intensity, it rippled through the venue like a shared heartbeat. The moment felt tender and bittersweet. It was a question we were all asking in unison, hoping to freeze time, if only for a little longer.
When the night came to an end, I did get a little teary eyed. There was something deeply healing about hearing some of my favorite Tennis songs live. I needed to witness Tennis perform, I needed to feel every beat, every note, every melody, every lyric. I needed to lose myself in that beautiful dream, even if it was just for a night.
Lets Play Tennis :
I mentioned what some of my favorite songs from the Tennis discography were and the personal rankings I gave them. From the notes and melodies to the lyrics and even the silence between them, they’ve left their mark. So, with all the love and seriousness they deserve, here are my top 10 Tennis songs (aka my recommendations):
Runner
Always The same
I’ll Haunt You
Weight of Desire
Need Your Love
How To Forgive
10 Minutes 10 Years
At The Apartment
Through the Mirror
No Exit
I also made a Spotify playlist that includes these songs and a couple more from the discography that I really like. So if you ever want to play Tennis, take a peek at my recommendations (aka my favs). They’re in order based on how often I am always playing them.
Here's the link :-) https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7z1sGIq4kH4vyZU7C0tjMO?si=18e8b03209d74e70
A special thank you to Tennis, 7S Management, and UIC radio for giving me the opportunity to attend The Farewell Tour in Chicago at the Salt Shed. Because of it, I was able to experience some of my favorite songs live.
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