Tony Moore brought the cut-down version of his Awake show on tour with Steve Harris and British Lion in January. It was something utterly different to the flavour of the night, but without exception, it was very well received. With a solo tour beginning tonight, Steve Ritchie caught up with Tony for a debrief.
“The British Lion tour was in its own way quite life-changing for me,” Tony Moore said. “I was able to share the music with a whole new audience and work with a band like British Lion, who are inspirational to watch every night and see how they work a crowd.”
MetalTalk caught Tony on the second night of the tour at the famous Cart & Horses, the birthplace of Iron Maiden. One thing that struck me, I say, was how supportive the crowd was. A full house was watching and listening intently. “What was touching is that every gig was like that,” Tony says, “from The Cart & Horses right down to Frome, which I think was our biggest show. I think there were over 600 people there. I was talking to people. I saw how everyone was engaged with what I was saying, with the songs that I was performing and with the whole show.
“Although it was completely different from British Lion, everyone opened their doors of perception, as it were, to what I was doing and were part of the journey with me. It was just quite magical.”
As Tony Moore told us earlier, the setup for the live show is a challenge, especially now with a support slot. It turned out this was no problem at all. “I created a shorter show,” Tony says. “I used slightly different tech to present it. It’s still a screen and a projector, but I used some different software. It was just quicker to run. I had a couple of people who really helped me out on the tour: a guy called Charlie Colter and a girl called Olga and Juan Carlos.
“When we got to the venues every day, we got all my gear out, and they would help me set it up ready to put it on stage. I managed to set everything up in about 15 minutes, get everything off in about 15 minutes and still be able to do that whole show. So it was a real eye-opening experience for me, realising that I can actually take this away to any stage in the world quite easily. It doesn’t matter about the size, big or small. I can fit in very easily with anything.”
The feedback from British Lion was great, too. “We spent every night after the gig on the bus travelling and just talking about what we’ve just done. It was so friendly. They were pleased to have me on the tour. This time it was a very different musical experience from what they try and do. It was a nice balance.
“I came out and just did my thing because it’s just me on my own. I travelled on the bus with the band, and we got to be very close. I hope some of the guys are gonna come and see the whole show. I know Simon [Dawson], the drummer, has already been to one full show of mine. They’ve been very supportive and very encouraging and really helped me do this tour comfortably. I was not getting in anyone’s way. I was very welcome everywhere I went.”
As you read this, the production rehearsals have been completed. Tony and Matt, the sound engineer, are ready for tonight and the first show on the tour. Tony is buoyed by the ticket sales so far, though he says he needs to do a bit more for the shows in the southwest.
“I know a lot of people at the British Lion shows said they were gonna come and support. So, I’m expecting a lot of last-minute walk-ins and ticket sales from people who didn’t know I was playing before.”
The album is ready, but having played Awake at over 70 shows in the last couple of years, there are some tweaks to be made before its release. “I realise that some of the songs I both play and sing not better, but there is a bit more confidence. A bit more awareness of what I can be doing as a musician and a vocalist for those songs.
“So I’m revisiting the recordings over the next month or so when I get back from the tour, and then the plan is to have something ready for release in the summer. So many people have asked for the record. I’m really blown away by the response, but I wanna do it properly.”
You can tell, just by talking to Tony Moore, that he is excited about the tour. “It’s long distances, all the way to Truro and the west country. If people just keep an eye out and can come and support, I would love to see them. If anyone comes because they’ve read this interview, then come up and say hi afterwards. I’d love to know how many other MetalTalk fans there are out there with me. I’m sure there are hundreds of thousands of them waiting to just jump out and surprise me at any moment.”
The prospects after the tour look exciting, too. Tony was recently at Marshall HQ in Milton Keynes, and there are early talks of a showcase live gig there, which will be recorded. The obvious place for this tour to finish was The Cart & Horses. A full show there would be extra special.
“It is so busy these days,” Tony says. “Kastro and the team are doing such a great job bringing music into that venue. I couldn’t get a date at the end of the tour. Booked solid.
“So, what we’re gonna do is plan something really special and bring the whole show back there again in the wake of the British Lion tour and Steve’s support of everything.”
Find out more about Tony Moore and Awake at www.awakemusic.info.
