Tennis at Islington Assembly Hall

This week, Tennis (Alaina Moore and Patrick Riley) shared an evening of love with the Islington Assembly Hall in support of sixth album Pollen, their latest experiment in less-is-more, ever-uplifting, pop-adjacent grooves. With synths swirling, Riley’s guitar stepping in and out of the limelight in moments where a little more weight was needed, and a strong bass-percussion team in the downstage shadows, the couple deployed the practised formula that has served them so thoroughly in the decade-plus they’ve spent expanding their niche.

They excel as performers, the chemistry between them developing into alchemy before the final chords of opener One Night with the Valet could reverberate into the cosmos. The set was notably romantic, verging on nostalgic – the pair have been married, Moore confided, for 14 years, and it was Valentine’s Day, after all; there was even a break factored in mid-set for the artists to share some “free relationship advice” with the crowd. With a heavy focus on the band’s back catalogue, Tennis murmured their way through I Miss That Feeling, dreamt along the gentle keyboard melodies of How To Forgive and recharged the night’s energy with an uncharacteristically vivid interpretation of 2019’s standout, Runner. The audience were palpably relieved, enchanted – thrilled, even – to hear these songs live once again.

Tennis weave an ethereal landscape when they play that’s easy to get lost in, for those that way inclined. This show, however, was grounded by Moore’s reminder that it is their first in London since 2019, which saw them locked into the concert venue with fans as a violent attack was perpetrated in London Bridge. New track No Exit reflects on that night, and was performed with real intensity to a quietened hall – a departure, perhaps, from the feel-good indie anthems the group is known for, but also a well-timed invitation to reflect, and a glimpse of the songwriting maturity Tennis are poised on the cusp of.

Sylvia Unerman
Photos: Nick Bennett

For further information and future events visit Tennis’s website here.

Watch the video for the single Runner here: