ConcertsLive

CoreLeoni / Modern Day Heroes @ Z7 Pratteln

20.01.2024 @ Konzertfabrik Z7 Pratteln, Switzerland

It’s been 5 years since I’ve watched Core Leoni live, back then still with singer Ronnie Romero, and that concert really couldn’t have been better. After Gent Bushpepa became the new singer, I had not been to a show – therefore today I’m curious to see what the new man at the mic has to offer.

But the opening act on this cold Saturday evening is Modern Day Heroes, the band of Serge Christen on guitar and vocals, Yves Fontana on bass and Heinz Baumann on drums. The gentlemen have dedicated themselves, as they call it, to the love of pure trio rock.

You can tell from the very first minute that they really enjoy performing live. The guys have already won the My Coke Music Award for Best Swiss Live Act and have released 4 albums. The latest work should soon see the light of day and is entitled “Stars & Skies”. Serge’s smoky voice goes well with the music and you can hear that he is a true guitar hero. The 3 guys deliver a good and solid show at Z7 and make you want more.

HERE to the photo gallery

The changeover, fag break, a visit of the sanitary facilities and fetching refreshments is quickly done, you don’t have to wait long for CoreLeoni. Messrs Leoni, Gianola, Motta, Merker and Bushpepa take to the stage and give full energy from the very first second.

It’s clear that Mr. Leoni’s guitar soli are the most important part of the evening, as in the end it’s him the crowd wants to see, therefore the band members remain discreetly in the background. Except singer Genz Bushpepa, but it’s hard to move the singer to the back of the stage next to the drums. It’s remarkable that the whole band appears very likeable, being close to the audience during the whole concert. The announcements, mainly from Leo Leoni himself, sometimes in German, sometimes in English or in Italian, are short and concise, so that you can really enjoy the music and don’t need to listen to long speeches. The two guitar heroes take off into the crowd and play among the fans. And Mr. Leoni doesn’t miss the opportunity to stop by the bar afterwards to get a small beer in between. Just like a rock star should.

Gent Bushpepa can’t keep up with Ronnie Romero vocally, I don’t like his high notes in particular, but he’s doing a good job as the new frontman. As he should be capable of, after all he was competing for Albania in the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest and has been a vocal coach on the Voice of Albania show since 2011. The young man is also a qualified doctor, so chapeau to what this guy has already achieved, alongside his work as a singer with CoreLeoni.
The evening with a great and very entertaining concert goes by far too quickly. CoreLeoni have survived the change of their singer well and it seems the front man is not quite as important as the mastermind himself – and in the end it’s just about having fun and listening to good music.

Sandy Mahrer

Fresh Act editor, reports, reviews, photos - - - Favorite genres? - Hard Rock, Heavy Metal and Pop-Rock etc. Less Death, Black, Grind Core