Enthusiastic fans knocked over barriers to get closer to the band.

“The rock ‘n’ roll embargo against Cuba has officially ended as of a couple nights ago,” Audioslave guitarist Tom Morello told Pollstar. “We were the first American rock band to ever play a show in Cuba.”

Although relations between the United States and Cuba during the last four decades have been shaky at best, the U.S. Treasury Department and the Instituto de la Musica surprisingly granted Audioslave permission to play 36 hours prior to the show.

“There was a great deal of bureaucracy and red tape that had to be cut through in order to get the final permission to play the show,” the guitarist explained. “We wanted to do the show for a long time and we were very tenacious because it was unprecedented. … At every impasse we kept saying, ‘We’ve got to do this, we really want to play there.'”

U.S. travel restrictions to the communist country have made it difficult for artists of all sorts to travel to and from the island.

Will this show pave the way for other bands?

“We’re hopeful that it does,” Morello said. “We would love to go back there and play because the show was a success from all sides. Hopefully it will be easier in the future (for other bands).”

Audioslave performed along the city’s Malecon waterfront in a plaza facing the U.S. Interests Section. The area has been used by the Cuban government to stage protests against the U.S. government. Did this have a negative effect on Morello? Of course not.

“Having been a member of many demonstrations myself, it wasn’t very strange at all,” he said laughing. “It was a trip and a show that was all about the music.”

The band broke away from a U.S. tour promoting its upcoming album, Out of Exile, to visit Cuba. Morello described the process as a lengthy effort to win approval of both governments.

“What everyone is hoping for is that it will build a bridge, and there will be a greater openness between the two countries,” he said. “We were so impressed with the Cuban people.”

Former Yes keyboard player Rick Wakeman played the same venue two weeks earlier. He is said to be the biggest British rock star to perform in Cuba.

Morello added that the free concert was the longest Audioslave show ever, clocking in at about two and a half hours.

“We felt we had to play a hell of a show for the Cuban people after the amazing time they showed us,” he said. “We gained so much from being there, and we tried to give as much back as we could in the show.”

The performance was also filmed for an upcoming DVD release, according to Morello.