Tennis sold out The Satellite in Los Angeles on Wednesday. I’ve been to the mid-sized venue plenty of times—and I’ve seen them crowded plenty of times—but never completely sold out. As soon as the trio began to play, it was clear to me why the audience was packed together like sardines. Led by spouses Patrick Riley and Alaina Moore, the Denver-based outfit’s dreamy surf pop translated beautifully from record to stage, and the band emitted an infectious energy that absorbed into its sold out crowd.
The husband/wife duo released its freshman effort, Cape Dory, in 2010 after inspiration hit during a seven-month-long sailing expedition down the Eastern Atlantic Seaboard. Like the journey from whence the music came, the live performance seemed to send its listeners to a far off world. The crowd was mesmerized.
Moore’s childlike demeanor and pep encouraged the audience to let loose. Where you would generally see a mosh pit form in the center of the floor, tonight there was a dance pit. The crowd was into the music like I had never seen at The Satellite. Every direction you turned, someone was singing along and swaying to Moore’s angelic, pixie-like voice. While the young songstress entertained the fans, Riley’s guitar playing technique was meticulous. He stood at the side of the stage, eyes fixed on his hands. He rarely faced the audience, but instead directed himself to his band mates, watching their moves as he flawlessly executed wavy, sunshine-drenched surf riffs.
With a new album, Young and Old, slated for a February release, Tennis treated its fans with a plethora of new tunes. From the sounds of it, the trio ventured in a new direction on a good portion of the record’s tracks, trading in its signature happy-go-lucky pop with rhythmic soul. Moore introduced a fourth member of the band, who relieved her from keyboard duties during a few songs, allowing her to adorably get her groove on as she belted out some soulful vocals. Meanwhile, Riley swapped his modified Telecaster for a standard and used it to play funk-infused basslines. The band played a large majority of new material, including its new single “Origins,” and the crowd was more than receptive. If Tennis’ sophomore release is anything like its debut, 2012 will be another amazing year for Moore and Riley.
