Alongside the announcement of their newest album, Face Down in the Garden, Tennis also announced a tour to not only promote their project, but to also grace fans with a final goodbye before their indefinite hiatus. On June 10th, the indie pop duo stopped in Houston for a bittersweet show full of so much love between the group and the audience.
Because this show was amongst some of their last, Tennis was sure to fill their setlist with a range of songs from across their discography. The performance opened with “I’ll Haunt You, “Ladies Don’t Play Guitar” and “Always the Same,” three songs from three different albums.
In between songs, lead singer Alaina Moore took the time to explain the meanings behind them and how special it was to be able to create and perform music with her husband Patrick Riley. Each time Moore shared quick anecdotes about their life together or how certain songs came to be, it was followed by various “awes,” smiles, and cheers from the audience. These little moments made the connection between the duo and their fans all the more stronger.
The show continued with songs such as “My Emotions Are Blinding,” “Glorietta” and “Weight of Desire.” In the background, the stage was set with beautiful colors projecting on a screen. Typically the screen resembled a window with tones of blue, red and orange, other times it was just glowing a solid color or had a close up of Moore or Riley. The show proved to be both visually and musically appealing.
The band shortly left after playing “Need Your Love,” marking what the audience thought was the end of their performance. After exiting the stage, the stage’s screen displayed an applause-o-meter which led to loud cheers from fans, allowing them to realize that an encore was on the way. Once the venue reached its peak energy, Tennis returned for a two-song encore that featured “Pollen Song” and “12 Blown Tires.”
Overall, Tennis gave Houston a great show for their last time in the city. Fans left White Oak Music Hall sad that the band is taking a break, but grateful to have caught one of their final performances.
I am from Houston, Texas and currently attending the University of Houston as a marketing major! From attending concerts, playing guitar, and collecting vinyl, I love anything that has to do with music. Some of my favorite artists include The Strokes, Omar Apollo, and boygenius. Besides that, I really like shopping, watching Pitch Perfect, and discovering new places in Houston!
