Morning:
12°c
Secret loans totalling £61.6 billion to struggling banks Royal Bank of Scotland and HBOS revealed for the first time
More...
New Moon is nothing if not an international advertisement for the hungry virtues of virginity and young people can’t get enough of it
The Twilight Saga: New Moon
Theatre
A smart, prickly and rewarding view of sexual and emotional confusion
Cock
Restaurants
Kitchen W8 is a bargain for this area, if such sophistication is what you crave
Kitchen W8
Too long and drawn out but very entertaining with excellent special effects
This is a peculiar play and does not work for me. Some of it is very funny but there are real flaws
Alex has a strong powerful voice and was faultless, she is far better now than she was on the X-Factor
London,
Jane Cornwell's rating
Reader rating
Description: Innovative world music performer formerly of Mano Negra who recently won a Radio 3 Award.
Phone: 0844477 2000
Website: www.brixton-academy.co.uk
Email: mail@brixton-academy.co.uk
Trains: Tube/BR: Brixton 
, Tube / Bus: 2, 35, 37, 59, 109, 133, 159, 333, 432 
Extra info: Pub
Franco-Spansh troubador Manu Chao
Manu Chao might be pocket-sized, but he knows how to fill a space. Flanked by long-time five-piece, Radio Bemba Sound System - all bare chests, squealing guitars and bobbing basslines - the Franco-Spanish troubadour loomed large through the intensity of his songs and strength of his convictions.
Having attained near mythic status across the anti-Imperialist, anti-global world, Chao wielded his guitar like a weapon, firing power chords at a crowd as multicultural as his music. He has always cherry-picked from a wealth of musical traditions, sung lyrics of love, life and agit-prop in languages ranging from Spanish to English to Arabic. And while his current album, La Radiolina, tends to stick to one style per track, on stage he and his band threw whatever they felt like into songs that morphed from one to another and back.
Merengue, samba and conga vied with the wig outs of lead guitarist Madjid, whose acoustic flamenco flourishes brought brief, beautiful respite from the ongoing wall of noise.
Reggae and ska chugged alongside rock riffs and kooky trademark sound effects. Phrases were repeated, ideas returned to. Chao pumped his fist, thumped his heart, bigged up peace, tolerance, unity.
Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.
Manu Chao's concert was really amazing, a 2-hour blast of energy from beginning to end without any breaks and not even a respite between songs. He didn't play many songs from his last album La Radiolina, but played many of the classics from the early days of Mano Negra (including King of Bongo and Mala Vida). A highlight was when the percussionist took centre stage to sing another Mano Negra classic Sidi Hbibi.
- Jordi Martorell, London, UK
