Terri Lyons to stage first concert

LION Queen Terri Lyons roars into Naparima Bowl, San Fernando, on November 20, for her first-ever concert, aptly titled I am Lion.

The reigning Calypso Monarch will be joined on stage by her iconic father Austin Lyons – SuperBlue – for an anticipated high-energy performance.

Other soca and calypso icons as well as gospelypso and chutney/soca performers will also share the stage, while Lyons will be dabbling in all the different genres herself.

The concert will also pay homage to the ancestors who have gone to the great beyond, and on whose shoulders she stands.

In a recent interview, Lyons said she was excited and promised fans they would not be disappointed by what she has in store for them, including a sneak peek at her 2023 offering.

“My concert is my journey. Everybody knows in this business – in fact in every business –there is always a fight, whether we like it or not. It makes us stronger.

“This is my first-ever concert, and I am putting my heart and soul into it, and I hope people would come out and show their support.

“I am really excited, especially having my father on the same stage with me. That is an honour, to have a parent there with you.”

It is a privilege, she said, that the family of the late Explainer (Winston Henry) who died last month, will never get to experience again.

“Condolences to Explainer’s family. He was one of the icons who was supposed to be on my show. However, he was needed more for God’s show.

"But we will be doing a tribute to him and Black Stalin and the late Shadow, because these are the people who had a big influence on my career. Apart from being icons, they were like fathers to me. They raised me, they contributed to what I am doing now. Who I am – I am Lion. Before I write a song, I have to listen to these fellas.”

Her two winning songs in the 2020 monarch competition were Obeah and Megan, My Dear.

She explained, “Obeah was actually a spinoff of Shadow’s original Obeah, and Megan, My Dear, a spinoff of Sparrow’s Congo Man – 'never eat a white meat yet.'"

“I need to pay homage to the people before me, who we sometimes forget, and who contributed so greatly to our culture and inspired me.”

Speaking about the venue, she said San Fernando is the middle ground for her, as she has roots in both Point Fortin and Port of Spain.

All of her songs, she said, were recorded in San Fernando and her son also plays mas in San Fernando.

“So, San Fernando has always been a staple for me.”

During Calypso History Month in October, Lyons, who started singing around age nine, also visited several schools in the city, including San Fernando Boys' Government Primary, St Gabriel’s Girls' RC and Rushworth Street Girls' Government schools.

At each school, she spoke to the children about the history of the art form, as she tried to instil in them the importance of loving their culture and continuing what she, her father and others are doing.

“It is my intention is to stimulate the minds of the young ones to get them interested in their indigenous culture so that the legacy can continue.

“Whether it's dance, calypso, soca, chutney or pan, we want to keep the kids interested, because if we don’t the culture would just disappear.

“If God forbid, something should happen to me today or tomorrow or any of our cultural icons I want to know that the culture is in good hands.”

The November 20 concert is part of the month-long celebration of San Fernando being given city status 34 years ago, on November 18, 1988.

Mayor Junia Regrello said the calypso diva could not have chosen a better venue, as it has such a rich cultural background and has played a significant role in the evolution of the indigenous art form. He said he was elated when Lyons approached him several months ago about having the concert in San Fernando, and pledged support for her inaugural show.

Showtime is 6 pm.