Rolling Stones Releases Cuba Video

It wasn’t too long ago that bands like the Stones were blocked from the radio and Cubans were forced to listen to rock ’n’ roll in secret. On Friday the band took the stage for its debut in Havana, days after President Barack Obama made his own historic visit to Cuba.

“On an island overlooked by time for more than a half century, the group became the focal point of life for at least a day,” Rolling Stone reports. “The iconic tongue logo sprouted up on T-shirts across Havana, and cabbies, bartenders and friendly locals asked almost anyone, ‘Do you know the Rolling Stones will play tonight?’ as if to confirm that the concert was indeed real.”

The free concert at the Ciudad De Deportiva De La Havana was attended by 700,000 and another 500,000 fans outside the venue, according to the Stones’ Twitter page. Jimmy Buffett, former supermodel Naomi Campbell and actor Richard Gere were three of the fans in the crowd.

“Keith Richards, beaming in his green silk bomber jacket and bandana, remarked with wonder: ‘Obama. Cuba. We’re so happy to be here.’ And it showed,” the Telegraph writes. “Richards and Ronnie Wood, in lurid tropical hues, couldn’t hide their delight, grinning like naughty schoolboys throughout the wildly energetic two-hour set. Opening with ‘Jumping Jack Flash,’ a sequin-clad Jagger was at his strutting, preening, swivelling finest.”

Rolling Stone also praised the performance in its write-up.

“A dozen songs in and the Stones cranked up the energy with an impassioned ‘Gimme Shelter,’” according to the magazine. “Jagger’s vocals carried the night in many places, but at no point was he in better form than as he traded lines with singer Sasha Allen on the classic anthem. Cuban communism might be losing steam, but over an hour into the show it was clear that Mick Jagger is not.”

The setlist also featured hits such as “It’s Only Rock N’ Roll (But I Like It),” “Start Me Up” and “Sympathy For The Devil.” The legendary British band wrapped the evening with an encore made up of “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” and “Satisfaction.” 

Check out the Stones’ video below.