Manu Chao is back and fills Obras with his mesmerizing style of engaging guitar songs

In a circular turn of fate, Manu Chao He played again on Thursday night at the Obras stadium, the same place where he debuted in 1992 with his group Black handas part of the visit of the “Cargo 92”, a French cultural avant-garde ship.

Since then, and with particular fervor since he began his career as a soloist, the Franco-Spanish musician has fascinated local audiences and filled football stadiums such as Atlanta and All Boys, toured the interior of the country and also played on radio stations such as La Tribu and La Colifata.

Over the years he continues to surprise and fascinate even today, as he has just demonstrated with this return to Argentina: I ran out of this Obra and added another one for Sunday.

Manu Chao’s style is as simple as it is powerful, unique and inimitable. In another era he might have been considered a protest singer, but today it is more accurate to describe him as a singer-songwriter who managed to synthesize social criticism and daily reflections with rhumba, reggae, cumbia or ska rhythms.

Alone, with a band or with a handful of guest musicians like now in Obras, Manu Chao manages like few others to create a party atmosphere for more than two hours: a continuous of songs hooked by the strumming of his guitar, some high-sounding shouts or phrases like the historic and emblematic “Whatever happens, the next season of hope!”, or the more current “Chainsaw out!”.

More unnoticed was his controversial anti-war phrase in which he equated “the war in Ukraine, the war in Syria and the massacre in Palestine.”

A tour of his hits

With a t-shirt, hat and shorts, always smiling and exuding charisma, Manu Chao managed to establish the feeling of being in an encore even when he was performing the first songs in the repertoire. And when it seemed like a song was about to end, he would wave goodbye and go straight back to the chorus, ramping up the fervor even more.

The start of the concert, after Vito’s promising opening act and an anti-mining speech by an NGO denouncing water contamination in Jachal and Esquel, was with Neighbors at seawith sounds of sirens and the cry of “To freedom, always”.

He was accompanied by the Argentine Lucky Salvadori (guitarist “bichito cordobés”) and the Galician Miguel Rumbao (bongo). Subsequently, a trombone and a violin were added, as well as two guest rappers: Rayo da Fiorito and Dillen da Monte Chingolo. Together, they achieved the power of a punk recital and There were also moments of moshing among the audience.

After the greeting of “Good evening Buenos Aires, how are you, sing with me!”, Manu Chao a performance of hits began and was sung throughout the stadium and also included his signature high-pitched screams of “Ohhh” in the voiceover.

For example everything will come and a potpourri with They call me street, bingo life AND I am with youwith the inevitable verse of “If I were Maradona…”

Then he sang love strike (from Divididos) and another potpourri with Hot circus, Freedom AND The train left. Done misery and with the trombone on stage he sang Bad life, I could not live without you AND My life. The violinist joined The farewell AND Liewhich ended by saying goodbye as if it were the end of the show.

But no, it was just a fake: they were still missing Mr Bobby, King of Bongo, Je ne t’aime plus and the section with guest rappers and the cry “Up with hip-hop, down with DNU!”. The audience dedicated the song “Olé, olé, olé, Manu, Manu” to him and the NGO returned to the stage with the banner of “For water, not for the mine, for life”.

Clandestine, The Wind, Welcome to Tijuana, I like you and the mantra of Minha Galera he completed the streak in the final stretch, finishing a night of celebration with a folk flavor and punk power.