A Norfolk folk musician will embark on a year-delayed live tour across Britain this autumn - starting in the fine city of Norwich.

Tom Moore, who grew up in Yaxham, near Dereham, and went to school in Norwich, plays the fiddle, viola, guitar, and percussive instruments.

Together with fellow musician Archie Moss, the pair released an album in October 2020 called Spectres, much of which was recorded in their Yaxham studio.

Dereham Times: Archie Moss (left) and Tom Moore (right)Archie Moss (left) and Tom Moore (right) (Image: Tom Moore and Archie Moss)

Coronavirus restrictions had made it impossible to tour however, so the duo will now be touring almost a year later than originally envisioned.

“It’s always a slow process finishing the compositions, getting it recorded, and then getting the CD released,” said Mr Moore.

“All that stuff takes time anyway, so then to wait another year on top of that to tour is frustrating, but we’re just really happy to have dates back in the diary and we’re really looking forward to getting back out there.”

Dereham Times: A poster heralding live performances by Archie Moss (left) and Tom Moore (right)A poster heralding live performances by Archie Moss (left) and Tom Moore (right) (Image: Tom Moore and Archie Moss)

The duo, who blend traditional European dance music into contemporary composition, have been informally collaborating for 17 years, and released their first album together in 2017.

“We started playing music together when we were probably 10 or 11 years old, so our musical relationship goes back a long way,” said Mr Moore.

The pair are kicking off their Spectres of Spectres tour in Norwich on the final day of the city’s Head Out Not Home Festival on September 5, which will be free to attend, before journeying across the country via London, Penzance, Edinburgh, and plenty in between.

Dereham Times: Archie Moss (left) and Tom Moore (right)Archie Moss (left) and Tom Moore (right) (Image: Tom Moore and Archie Moss)

After a year in which musicians have been limited to online gigging, the pair look forward to re-embracing the spontaneity afforded by live performance.

“We’ve done our fair share of online gigs - just to be in a room and to have the physical vibrations of the speakers hit your body and to be with other people and have a sense of community around it is just ten times better, isn’t it?” said Mr Moore.

“When it’s played live, it’s very reactionary,” Mr Moss agreed.

“I’m having to react to what Tom’s pedals are doing and vice versa. When it clicks, it becomes a very cohesive thing.”