Tennis brought their deep, genuine, romantic, and retro-sounds to Orlando! | Live Review | The Social | September 22 2014

by Donnie George • September 27, 2014

It has been three years since Tennis swung by Orlando, or at least that’s what lead singer Alaina Moore told the audience at their show last Monday night. To be exact, their last time was two and a half years at the now-defunct 2012 Orange You Glad Music Festival. I remember that show well. Tennis was headlining the final night and it was when I fell in love with them.

The Orange You Glad fest had been happening since 2009 however the 2012 edition was my first time going. The festival featured different venues each night in the downtown Mills Ave area. Along with Tennis, other big names included Cults, Grimes, Everything Is Terrible, Caveman, and more.

What I remember about Tennis’ set is that it was a rainy Sunday night, and due to the inclement weather, their set got pushed back by a few hours. Their set time, compounded by the fact that it was Day Lights Saving on a school night where we all had to spring ahead an hour, made for a less than ideal situation. Regardless, I stayed and they played a great show to a lot of people who stuck around, ready to get down to some indie pop/surf rock.

Since 2012, Tennis have released an EP (2013’s Small Sound) and a full album this year titled Ritual In Repeat. Where in the past they came off as lo-fi and sparse, with regard to their production, their newest album has them more in the same range with the likes of 2012 OYG Fest co-headliner Cults or indie chick rock band Haim (see “Never Work For Free”).

But for those who Haim detractors, Moore and husband/guitarist Patrick Riley represent a more authentic and sincere version of what Haim might have been trying to accomplish. It’d be easy for some to write Tennis off as another variant of Blue-Eyed Soul inspired indie pop/rock, but there is something deeper, genuine, and more romantic to what this husband/wife-duo have done.

Once again, just like their appearance at OYG Fest 2012, last Monday was another rainy night. Once again, their show, this time at the Social, had a great turnout. And once again, there were a lot of people looking to get down! Although Day Lights Saving wasn’t having us spring forward, nor fall behind this time, I still fell forward, in love again with this retro-sounding Denver band.