This summer, Manu Chao in concert in Varaire, a Lotois village of... 350 inhabitants!

The crazy challenge. For five years, the Vrai Repaire Festival association, which aims to “enhance and energize the cultural and musical offering” in Varaire, a small town in the Lot, south of Saint-Cirq-Lapopie, has been trying to convince Manu Chao to join its programming. And this year, the wish of the founders of the festival was finally granted. The former leader of Mano Negra will perform in front of 1,500 people on June 4, during an evening entirely dedicated to him, more than two months before the two main dates of the festival, August 16 and 17.

“It’s not a bad joke, we have the immense honor of welcoming Manu Chao to Varaire for an exceptional evening,” the organizers rave on Instagram. This announcement is also an opportunity for us to look back a little on our history [...]. Because, as you will have understood, if there is one name that has stuck in our minds from the beginning, it is that of Manu Chao. It represents what we are as an association, the values ​​we defend, the audience we receive every year at our events."The arrival of the international singer in this small village of 350 people is unexpected , for the residents but especially for Julien Rigaud-Boyé and Maxime Bes, the co-presidents of the Vrai Repaire Festival association. Interviewed by Le Parisien, they tell how they managed to coax the star: “During the last edition of the festival, in August 2023, someone close to Manu Chao came to see us saying that he could perhaps help us. Two months later, we contacted him again, but he didn't respond for three months, until this call recently where he told us it was good for June 4th! We had to give the answer within twenty-four hours, for this date in the middle of the week while the festival takes place on August 16 and 17.”

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But a concert in the middle of the week, two months before the two official dates of the festival, did not prevent fans from rushing to the ticket office. On sale Monday at the modest price of 30.99 euros, tickets sold out in just a few minutes. “We can’t believe it! It’s quite incredible everything that’s happened since the announcement,” the organizers exclaimed on Instagram, apologizing “for the people who didn’t manage to take their place.”

This will not be the first time that the singer of Spanish origin has made an appearance in the Lot. In 2017, he performed in front of 15,000 people during the Ecaussystem festival, which takes place in the countryside, in Gignac. Here too, the tickets sold out very quickly. But this year, it will be in a smaller group. The interpreter of Me Gustas Tu will give a concert in complete privacy, in front of 1500 people, or 500 people less than in a Parisian Olympia. And even though all the places for the event are gone, there are still tickets for the two dates in August. Thus, festival-goers will be able to book tickets to listen to reggae from Alborosie, Brazilian music with Flavia Coelho, a DJ set from Guts or Manudigital.