Rolling Stones to play March 25 show in Havana

[webfact]

Rolling Stones to play March 25 show in Havana
By MICHAEL WEISSENSTEIN

HAVANA (AP) — The Rolling Stones announced Tuesday that the group will play a free concert in Havana on March 25, becoming the most famous act to play Cuba since its 1959 revolution.

The Stones will play in Havana's Ciudad Deportiva three days after President Barack Obama visits Havana. The concert is expected to draw a massive audience in a country where the government once persecuted young people for listening to rock music.

"We have performed in many special places during our long career but this show in Havana is going to be a landmark event for us, and, we hope, for all our friends in Cuba too," the band said in a statement.

Along with easing many restrictions on foreign music, art and literature, the Cuban government has increasingly allowed large gatherings not organized by the state in recent years. The Stones concert will almost certainly be one of the largest since Cuba began easing its limits on some non-official gatherings in the 1990s.

"I'm definitely going to go," said Ivia Perez, 39. "It makes me think about being in high school, after the period of censorship. I listened to a lot of rock back then."

On the same week as the visits by Obama and The Rolling Stones, the Tampa Bay Rays are expected to play the first Major League Baseball exhibition game in Cuba since 1999, part of an extraordinary string of events in a country that spent the Cold War isolated from the United States and its allies. Cuba and its capital have been flooded with tourists, visiting dignitaries and celebrities more than a year after Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro announced on Dec. 17, 2014 that they were moving to normalize relations.

Cuban fans have been buzzing about a possible concert by "Los Rollings" since lead singer Mick Jagger visited Havana in October.

"It's part of a dream to see the greatest icons of music who couldn't come before for various reasons, above all Cuba's isolation," said Cuban music critic Joaquin Borges Triana. "The Rolling Stones are going to magically unite generations of Cubans, from people in their 60s to their children and grandchildren."

The Havana "Concert for Amity" will cap the Stones' America Latina Ole tour through seven Latin American cities. The band said it will donate instruments and other musical equipment from sponsors to Cuban musicians during their visit.

The biggest musical performance in Cuba to date was held in 2009, when the Colombian singer Juanes drew more than a million people to a show titled "Peace without Frontiers" in Havana's Revolution Plaza.

That concert angered Cuban-American exiles in the U.S. and its organizers wrangled with Cuban officials over performances by local artists critical of their government. U.S. government contractors also tried to use the concert to promote programs designed to foment political change in Cuba.

The Stones concert is expected to take place in a more relaxed political environment, as the U.S. and Cuban governments move rapidly to make their new relationship appear irreversible before the end of Obama's term.
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Associated Press writer Andrea Rodriguez in Havana contributed to this report.


-- (c) Associated Press 2016-03-02

[Publicus]

Jumpin' Jack Flash

Go Stones.

Cuba Libre.

[BKKdreaming]

Rockin with Raul.......

[RikDao]

Most obvious joke: Word has it that the Hell's Angels are providing security.

Edited March 2, 2016 by RikDao

[AlexRRR]

Stale Stones play Havana, they might take in some of those cool hot Cuban rhythms while there....who knows might fresher up the granddads......

[RikDao]

Stale Stones? Perhaps a reflection of yourself. And Mick's a great granddad these days.

[AlexRRR]

Stale Stones? Perhaps a reflection of yourself. And Mick's a great granddad these days.

No mate i dont live in the past especially with music....every so often they freshened there sound but not in at least 20 years...a very tired sounding band, don't matter how popular they are or the amount of music or shows there sold, me personally don't like to play over and over Jumping Jack Flash or want to hear it again,, great song was assume in its day, note....many artists rearrange there more popular songs per tour, like Eric Clapton just to name one....ive seen enough of the Stones to know they don't change a note....

I also read Keith Richards book, was expecting a good read was disappointed especially his attitude on drugs and his take on other peoples music...

[RikDao]

Hey, fair enough. I'm aware that they haven't done anything new in eons. However, they're giving the people what they want. Apparently, your taste is more sophisticated than average (whatever that means). Playing in Cuba for free? That's gonna make millions of people VERY happy. Cuban music? Maybe it will get out and about, now that Cuba is more "free."

[BKKdreaming]

I hope they live stream it worldwide.....

and yes I saw them in San Diego ohh so long ago......

and probably somewhere else I forgot about

[AlexRRR]

Hey, fair enough. I'm aware that they haven't done anything new in eons. However, they're giving the people what they want. Apparently, your taste is more sophisticated than average (whatever that means). Playing in Cuba for free? That's gonna make millions of people VERY happy. Cuban music? Maybe it will get out and about, now that Cuba is more "free."

Avant grade is what your trying to say and yes i push the boundaries, i like my music as fresh as possible, as for Cuban music getting out there, your a bit slow there my man, Cuban music and dance took the world by storm in the 90's, every major capital city and any other city worthy of being called a city has Cuban style dance clubs....why even there in BKK, friend took me to a low key one in Chinag Mai, music is to Cubans what air is to the rest of us, they will love the event even if they don't like the music because Cubans are party people.

[RikDao]

Hey, fair enough. I'm aware that they haven't done anything new in eons. However, they're giving the people what they want. Apparently, your taste is more sophisticated than average (whatever that means). Playing in Cuba for free? That's gonna make millions of people VERY happy. Cuban music? Maybe it will get out and about, now that Cuba is more "free."

Avant grade is what your trying to say and yes i push the boundaries, i like my music as fresh as possible, as for Cuban music getting out there, your a bit slow there my man, Cuban music and dance took the world by storm in the 90's, every major capital city and any other city worthy of being called a city has Cuban style dance clubs....why even there in BKK, friend took me to a low key one in Chinag Mai, music is to Cubans what air is to the rest of us, they will love the event even if they don't like the music because Cubans are party people.

I replied to this a few days ago, but I don't know what happened to the reply. Whatever. Maybe it went to you in an email. Below is a new reply.

Now, you said you hope the Stones absorb some Cuban rhythms when they go there,and then you said Cuban music got big in the 90's. So they are probably aware already? I'd say yeah.

On the other hand, like you I hope (even though you don't really) they're gonna catch some shows when they're there, esp Charlie.

[NovaBlue05]

The Stones & Fidel got started about the same time

[RikDao]

Lol. Good point. And still kickin'!

[AlexRRR]

Hey, fair enough. I'm aware that they haven't done anything new in eons. However, they're giving the people what they want. Apparently, your taste is more sophisticated than average (whatever that means). Playing in Cuba for free? That's gonna make millions of people VERY happy. Cuban music? Maybe it will get out and about, now that Cuba is more "free."

Avant grade is what your trying to say and yes i push the boundaries, i like my music as fresh as possible, as for Cuban music getting out there, your a bit slow there my man, Cuban music and dance took the world by storm in the 90's, every major capital city and any other city worthy of being called a city has Cuban style dance clubs....why even there in BKK, friend took me to a low key one in Chinag Mai, music is to Cubans what air is to the rest of us, they will love the event even if they don't like the music because Cubans are party people.

I replied to this a few days ago, but I don't know what happened to the reply. Whatever. Maybe it went to you in an email. Below is a new reply.

Now, you said you hope the Stones absorb some Cuban rhythms when they go there,and then you said Cuban music got big in the 90's. So they are probably aware already? I'd say yeah.

On the other hand, like you I hope (even though you don't really) they're gonna catch some shows when they're there, esp Charlie.

Cuban music is respected, especially Cuban Jazz, and thats going back to even before the revolution, there are of course many styles that the Cubans play, the 90's explosion was in salsa music and dancing just one style of many though a very important one and has been a big money earner for the island since the Americans have had an embargo on it.

Don't know about mr Richards, he is pretty much a blues man through and through but as you say charlie and even mick would be up with the Rhythms to some degree....Clapton and the Stones helped introduced the west to reggae from Jamaica and there just a hop skip and jump from Cuba.

Most people wouldn't know that for some musicians playing in Havana is like others going to Nashville, there is a history there for music, an Australian band played and recored there about 7 ys back, Simply Red has also played there, an Italian artist went there and recored an Album...

Bit more info for you, once Fidel came to power being an educated man he made all schooling free and encouraged everyone to study, Cuban musicians by and large are university trained, they have degrees, Cuba is only a backwater place economically they excel in medicine, education and even possibly music to some degree...depends on your tastes.

[RikDao]

Hey, fair enough. I'm aware that they haven't done anything new in eons. However, they're giving the people what they want. Apparently, your taste is more sophisticated than average (whatever that means). Playing in Cuba for free? That's gonna make millions of people VERY happy. Cuban music? Maybe it will get out and about, now that Cuba is more "free."

Avant grade is what your trying to say and yes i push the boundaries, i like my music as fresh as possible, as for Cuban music getting out there, your a bit slow there my man, Cuban music and dance took the world by storm in the 90's, every major capital city and any other city worthy of being called a city has Cuban style dance clubs....why even there in BKK, friend took me to a low key one in Chinag Mai, music is to Cubans what air is to the rest of us, they will love the event even if they don't like the music because Cubans are party people.

I replied to this a few days ago, but I don't know what happened to the reply. Whatever. Maybe it went to you in an email. Below is a new reply.

Now, you said you hope the Stones absorb some Cuban rhythms when they go there,and then you said Cuban music got big in the 90's. So they are probably aware already? I'd say yeah.

On the other hand, like you I hope (even though you don't really) they're gonna catch some shows when they're there, esp Charlie.

Cuban music is respected, especially Cuban Jazz, and thats going back to even before the revolution, there are of course many styles that the Cubans play, the 90's explosion was in salsa music and dancing just one style of many though a very important one and has been a big money earner for the island since the Americans have had an embargo on it.

Don't know about mr Richards, he is pretty much a blues man through and through but as you say charlie and even mick would be up with the Rhythms to some degree....Clapton and the Stones helped introduced the west to reggae from Jamaica and there just a hop skip and jump from Cuba.

Most people wouldn't know that for some musicians playing in Havana is like others going to Nashville, there is a history there for music, an Australian band played and recored there about 7 ys back, Simply Red has also played there, an Italian artist went there and recored an Album...

Bit more info for you, once Fidel came to power being an educated man he made all schooling free and encouraged everyone to study, Cuban musicians by and large are university trained, they have degrees, Cuba is only a backwater place economically they excel in medicine, education and even possibly music to some degree...depends on your tastes.

Hey man, thanks a million (baht, that is) for the info. I love learning about stuff like that, stuff that isn't common knowledge, maybe, but very interesting. Believe it or not, my favorite jazz player, Kenny Dorham, played trumpet and came up around the same time as Miles and a little after Dizzy, maybe. Anyway, he played a lot of what I think they called Afro-Cuban back in the 50's and 60's. Kenny hated the avant-garde movement and wanted to keep playing be-bop, so he slid into irrelevance, I think, and died from heroin at age 42 or so. Sad. My favorite jazz track ever is El Matador by Kenny. It has the smokingest trumpet solo ever, as far as what I've heard, anyway.

As for the Stones, certainly Charlie and Mick would be aware of Cuban music. As far as Keith, yeah, he's a bluesman, but he also plays brilliant acoustic country, American folk, old English folk, etc. Don't sell that guy short, cuz. So, little doubt he's into Cuban as well.

As far as salsa, likely I haven't heard the right stuff maybe, because to me it just seems to go on and on and on, and I lose interest after the first 8 minutes of what turns out to be a freaking 45 minute song! I remember going to a free concert in Chicago in the mid-80's, called Rock Against Racism. It was a crummy, muggy, overcast summer day, and there were blacks, whites, and Latinos in the crowd. A salsa band started out and played a 25 minute song. When it was over, most of the crowd cheered loudly, mainly being glad it was over. Then they launched into another one, 20 guys on stage pounding away, just going on and on, and after 20 minutes of that the crowd started screaming for them to stop. Naturally, they DIDN'T stop, just played louder, and eventually people started throwing stuff at the stage and screaming louder still, and the Latinos in the audience tried to stop the throwing, and so on. My friend, who was black, looked at me and said: "This is about to be a race riot! Let's get the hell out of here!" Which we did! Never heard any of the bands we'd come to see. LOL. (Yo, we weren't football 'ooligans, mate! We were suburbanites. We went to a lot of shows, and anytime it seemed like guys wanted to start fighting, we cleared out fast! Hahahahah!)

[AlexRRR]

Salsa hasn't stood still, again Cubans lead the way originally it was called son, then they the Cubans put all there rhythms to gether to come up with salsa which means a mishmash of all sorts of things the rest of Sth America followed and you get your different types but basically its the same...as in Rock.

The Cubans generally have a harder edge to there music no matter what it is, Timba came out about 15 years ago which is a faster heavier version of salsa, I'm into it big time and i pretty much only collect Cuban salsa/timba with only 20 million people there the out put isn't the same as the states but its there, if you want to hear some Cuban stuff and it will be all styles search out cubamusicdotcom you can get a 30 sec sniper per song, all styles there.

Incidentally since you like to know about stuff like this and i bet the Stones will want to cut a track or two there is Egrem's Areito recording studios one of the not only largest but also oldest recording studios in the world. Im guessing that that it records the majority of albums there, it has a sound all its own you can pick it...when i first heard Cats Empire that aussie bands cuban made rock cd i didn't know it had been recored there but gees it sounded familiar...that studio has a sound that no other has, not to hard to pick once you know....

Yes mate i know a few things about Cuba, i learned salsa and was active in the scene in Melb for a long time one of my dance instructors was Cuban and i did get to meet a few, like i said there all up for a party anytime.

[RikDao]

Cool, thanks. I'll check some of that stuff out, wrote it down.

Melbourne, huh? Then you must be familiar with the Melbourne Shuffle? I stumbled onto that about five years ago on youtube. Man, I love those videos. I might just possibly have been able to do that when I was a teen, 50 years ago, rockin out and dancin to the beat! Not like the really top level guys, but I could have done a version.