Coldero looks for life after Byron Lee
Leon Coldero is no stranger to Belize, and even though he arrived today with a new band, Jacqueline Woods discovered that the hardest working man in Caribbean music is more ready than ever to please his fans.
Jacqueline Woods, Reporting
It was like a happy family reunion when Leon Coldero arrived at the Phillip Goldson International Airport. But this time the popular soca artist did not arrive in the company of Byron Lee and the Dragonnaires. Instead, Coldero has gone on his own and for the first time he is accompanied to Belize by his eight-member band, Code 868.
Leon Coldero, Lead Singer, Code 868
“The band itself is full of energy. I mean if you think I am mister energiser; the entire band coming together is a burst of energy. That is how I would explain seeing us on stage.”
Coldero and Code 868 are in Belize to perform in the Big Appetite Belize Concert for the September celebrations. It promises to be a performance on which the show’s promoters, 4×4 Productions, Gem Carnival Mas Band, Belize Lions and Wave Radio, say they were only too happy to join forces.
Bobby Bennett, Manager, 4×4 Productions
“I know Belizeans have been use to seeing Byron Lee here and they know what Leon does with Byron Lee. But now that Leon is on his own it has open up so many doors for him to do a lot more.”
Saira Mahabir, Band Leader, Gem
“It’s been Leon’s thing to join Gem Mas Band, actually to play mas, and he always had prior engagements. So this time he said no he is coming to be a part of the band.”
Brian Mossiah, Manager, Wave Radio
“I was approached by the manager of 4×4 Productions, who suggested that we ought to come together and try to get him to Belize. I jumped at the idea because I know Leon Coldero is a high level performer.”
Coldero says since his departure from Byron Lee and the Dragonnaires, it has been great. The artist says even though he knows it was Byron Lee who introduced him to Belize, the move to go solo has its own rewards.
Leon Coldero
“I have been in the business prior to being with Byron Lee but I have been to places with him including Belize that I might not have probably ever been in my career. He’s a great businessman, I learned a lot from him. I just saw it fit now that the time has come for me to move on and do my own thing.
I want people to really come out and see now Leon Coldero. This is not Byron Lee. Byron Lee had me doing what he wanted me to do basically this is Leon.”
Jacqueline Woods
“This is your own show.”
Leon Coldero
“Let’s say uncensored (laughs).”
If you are planning to attend the Big Appetite Concert at the Belize City Centre on Friday night, you are advised to arrive early and beat the rush. Reporting for News 5, Jacqueline Woods.
On Friday, Coldero will be holding a free concert for primary school children at 2:30 in the afternoon and in the night at 10:00 the Big Appetite concert gets underway at the City Centre. On Saturday Coldero will be leading the Gem mas band in carnival and on Sunday he moves to Cayo for the Big Appetite concert number two at Novelo’s Convention Centre. Tickets for the concert are twenty-five dollars at Record Shack, Venus Records and Stone and Baron. At the door the tickets will cost thirty.
