Tag Archive for: Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stone Cuban concert “Havana Moon” shown worldwide on September

f0009107HAVANA, 1 August (Agencias) The Rolling Stones will debut their Cuban concert film Havana Moon for one night only in theaters worldwide on September 23. The March 25 show was filmed by award-winning director Paul Dugdale Read more

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The Rolling Stones land in Havana for first Cuban concert


HAVANA, march 25th  The band known in Cuba as “Los Rollings” have arrived in Havana.

Following in President Obama’s footsteps, the Rolling Stones touched down ahead of a huge free concert on Friday.For decades rock music was denigrated on the communist island as “ideological deviation”. On Thursday the British band were officially welcomed by officials from Cuba’s Cultural Ministry and the UK ambassador to Cuba.

Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood and Charlie Watts stopped on the tarmac to speak to reporters.

“Obviously something has happened in the last few years,” Jagger said, as Richards interjected: “That’s what happens when you ban things”.

Jagger went on: “So, time changes everything and so we are very pleased to be here and I’m sure it’s going to be a great show… Tomorrow, I think it is, God is it really tomorrow? We’d better get ready!”
In contrast to the relatively recent political rapprochement, the musical thaw between Cuba and the West has been developing for some time.

Fidel Castro reportedly regretted the censorship and attended the unveiling of a statue of John Lennon in Havana in 2000.

Even so the concert, which comes at the end of the Stones’ Latin American tour, will be a first for Cubans.

“(It’s great) that the youth interact with music they don’t know, so that youth can interchange, recognize and compare cultures, to incorporate them and also to share their energy, because Cubans, especially young Cubans, have a lot of energy to give,” said one woman in Havana.

Back in the 1960s when Rolling Stones cover band Los Kent tried to play in Cuba, soldiers stopped the gig at gunpoint.

Some 50 years later, today’s military will be helping to provide security for the hundreds of thousands of fans who are expected in Havana.
http://www.euronews.com/2016/03/25/the-rolling-stones-land-in-havana-for-first-cuban-concert/

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Rolling Stones invite Cubans to free concert

HAVANA, march 24th (Reuters)The Rolling Stones are welcoming Cubans to their free concert on Friday with Mick Jagger speaking Spanish in a video on YouTube, though few are likely to see it, given Cuba’s scant Internet penetration.

“We have played in many incredible places but this concert in Havana is going to be a historic event for us,” Jagger said in a voice over while the Stones’ song, “Jumping’ Jack Flash” plays to snippets of concert video. “We hope it will be for you, too.” (here)

Less than one-third of Cubans have access to the Internet, with only 3.4 percent of homes connected to either the Internet or a local Cuban Intranet, according to U.N. data.

The Stones added Cuba to the end of a Latin American tour, becoming the first major international rock stars to play in the island nation.

The outdoor concert at a sports complex was postponed five days because of the 48-hour visit by U.S. President Barack Obama, who departed Cuba on Tuesday.

The band have brought in 61 shipping containers with an estimated 500 tonnes of equipment, such as a stage, speakers, lights and video screens, the production manager, Dale Skjerseth, told reporters on Sunday.

A crew of 140 Stones employees and at least 80 Cubans have set up on grounds including a football field and adjoining baseball fields with room for hundreds of thousands of spectators who are invited to arrive for free on a first-come, first-serve basis.

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