Falling in Love at the Fillmore: Tennis, Molly Burch

Last Friday, I got the opportunity to see two of my favorite modern indie pop icons: Molly Burch and Alina Moore of Tennis at The Fillmore in San Francisco. Shortly after arriving, I asked my friends what the vibe was, and they said “purple.”

I couldn’t have said it better myself. The cool-tone lights, Moore’s elegance, the intimacy of the venue, the mystery and magic of the music—it was all purple. 

Molly Burch came out first with one of the coolest outfits I’d ever seen: a green layered, tulle, puff dress. The crowd filled in as she played a shorter setlist, but one that was full of bangers like “needy” and “Heart of Gold.” The calmer vibe meant it was easy to get close to the front, where the sound was clear and magical. 

Five songs and an overpriced Long Island later, the piano intro to “I’ll Haunt You” started playing and the crowd erupted in cheers as Tennis came onto the stage. I stared in awe at Moore’s outfit, which fit her vibe perfectly—A satin white top, a long, sparkly gold skirt, white boots, and of course, her signature curly blonde bob. It was clear from the start that she was the star of the show, as the crowd erupted in cheers once her bright piano and vocals echoed through the room. 

The first song on their 2020 album, Swimmer, “I’ll Haunt You” was the perfect opening to the show, with its soft melody and sense of sweet nostalgia. It was impossible to ignore Moore’s chemistry with the other half of Tennis, her husband Patrick Riley, during this love song. They looked at each other as if alone in the room, achieving a level of intimacy I did not expect to see on the stage of a sold-out San Francisco show.

Moore and Riley did not leave us out for long, though; they followed the first song with two upbeat bangers off of Yours Conditionally (2017), “My Emotions Are Blinding” and “Ladies Don’t Play Guitar.” From this point, the spotlight really turned onto Moore, whose sweet vocals I was quickly falling deeper in love with. While the lighting and visuals were relatively minimal, it was far more fitting for the Tennis vibe and allowed us to focus more on the music. 

The setlist mostly switched between Swimmer and Yours Conditionally, which was understandable as the band’s most recent releases. However, I was missing earlier albums, like Young & Old (2013), from which they only played “Petition.”

The visuals did take a turn once “Need Your Love” came on, and a giant disco ball flooded the room with glitter and lights. For the first time since the show began, everybody was dancing. 

Once “I Miss That Feeling” came on, Riley got his time to shine, shredding on the guitar in a way that stood out from the studio version of the song. Moore was shredding equally as hard on the piano, somehow maintaining her angelic voice in the meantime. Halfway through the show, Moore announced that Riley learned some of their songs on piano so that she “can dance.” The crowd erupted in cheers as Moore got up and approached the front of the stage. 

After a few songs “Modern Woman” came on, and if I wasn’t already in love with Moore, this was the definitive turning point. I was in disbelief with how beautiful her voice was in real life; just as clear, if not clearer, than all of Tennis’s studio recordings. 

Much to my disappointment, the show ended shortly after 10 PM with a brief encore. They closed with “Bad Girls,” an upbeat but intimate song that somehow made me feel so close to the crowd of strangers. While I was bummed that the show ended so early, Tennis more than delivered on the music and played most of their fan-favorites. Maybe it’s because of my crush on Moore, or maybe it’s the years I spent listening to Tennis when I wanted some sunshine in my life, but I still haven’t stopped smiling from Friday’s show.

Written by Alice Markman

Photos by Rohith Moolakatt