Manu Chao and Radio Bemba will release 'Baionarena' through Because Music on 19th October.
The two CD+DVD set features recordings from the last night of his 2008 tour at the famous Roman ampitheatre in Bayonne. The two CDs contain many of Manu’s hits, including 'Clandestino', 'Tombola', 'Rainin’ In Paradize', 'Mala Vida' as well as 'L’Hiver Est Là', taken from the limited edition book and cd 'Sibérie m’était contée'. The DVD features the show in its entirety as well as bonus material, including all the videos from 'La Radiolina' and a documentary entitled 'Carnet de Voyage', which documents some of the highlights from his world tour. 'Baionarena’ will be released in both standard and limited edition formats.
'Baionarena’ perfectly captures the spirit and success of 'La Radiolina’. The album, which has now sold almost a million copies worldwide, earnt Manu a Grammy nomination and took him and his band, Radio Bemba, on a two year world tour. During that time, Manu performed in front of three million people, sold out three shows at Brixton Academy (in a matter of hours), appeared below Jay-z and Amy Winehouse at Glastonbury and headlined more than one hundred festivals from Russia to San Francisco.
In other news, Manu has recorded an album at an Argentine radio station. 'La Colifata’ is a Buenos Aires-based radio station with a difference; it broadcasts from within a psychiatric hospital. Launched in 1991, 'La Colifata’ is also known as "Radio des Fous' (Crazy Radio) and is a unique project that uses media (radio and TV) as a therapeutic treatment. The station allows patients to rebuild social links with the outside world. As an active supporter, Manu helped record an album of music by the patients. The record is available for free download through VivaLaColifata.org where donations to the radio station are gratefully received.
Alfredo Olivera, the station's director and founder, said the relationship was based on mutual respect and confidence. "The process was very positive, not only because it tackled the social stigma of mental illness, but because it helped people leave the hospital and develop their own autonomy," The visiting celebrity knew how to engage the patients, said Olivera: "He is not a psychologist or a psychiatrist but he knows how to listen to the rhythm of each person."
Manu said he learned "lucid lessons" from his collaborators. He said: "I also learned to synthesise things with fewer words, clearer words."