The Rolling Stones in Cuba, finally! – Le Figaro

WE WERE – The group delivered Friday evening a historic concert in Havana, the ultimate benefit of their Latin American tour, Olé Tour

Havana

Yipi (Jeep) septuagenarian six passengers in the back, three in front, swallows the outskirts of Havana . The Yipi dance. The Yipi spits everywhere a wild Reggaeton invading the cockpit. And the Stones? “We must see. We will hear for the first time. We do not even know there 15 days, “says Mykel, a small mongrel, all of Bling Bling Dress, accompanied by his fiancée.

Directorate plains of the sports complex of the Ciudad Deportiva, where the Rolling Stones put their scenes. The crowd, mostly adolescent and friendly, multiplies Selfies. No alcohol, no drugs, no bestowal. The National Revolutionary Police yesterday. The temperature is mild.

Here are the Rolling Stones. It is 8:34 p.m.. Mick Jagger, red jacket of circumstances begins with J Jack Flash umpin . Then, after her first song, which will be followed by It’s only rock and roll and the classics of the group’s repertoire for two hours, the British singer launches Spanish a friendly “Good evening, my people Cuba “, then quickly enough:” We are here, finally. ”

We are talking about 500,000 people gathered Friday night in the Sports City Copyright: IVAN ALVARADO / REUTERS

At the cemetery of morality and cultural taboos, the English training, deemed decadent capitalist, has long had a special place. Not officially prohibited, but strongly discouraged listening for half a century. Nothing of this makes sense today. Capitalist sickle decapitated the old socialist hammer. At 84, Raul Castro became a rocker. So, between songs, Mick Jagger, the rebel, dare: “It seems that it was difficult to listen to our music, but we’re here. It seems that Cuba is changing. ” L

are reactions of 500,000 attendees are shy, both for output Mick Jagger for the music of the Stones. Beyond the first rows of fans who follow the tour and foreigners filmed by television, the young Cuban crowd was not passionate. Whereas Mick Jagger makes a call to “Romanticos Cubanos (Cuban romantic)” and begins Angie. Couples begin slows. The teeth of Mick Jagger devour the Cuban night. The singer, accompanied by Charlie Watts, Ronnie Wood and Keith Richards, connects the classics.

The Rolling Stones during the concert in Havana electrifies audiences Photo Credits: ALEXANDRE MENEGHINI / REUTERS

Unfortunately for the Rolling Stones, beyond all the superlatives that will be used to describe the concert, Cuba vibrates to Salsa, Son, Reggeaton more than to rock. And the children of Fidel, who does not understand English, are rather romantic music aficionados. The cultural divide is huge. An old Yuma (foreign), walks with a sign “Rolling Stones, No Satisfaction” under the puzzled look of young Cubans. Mick Jagger, patient, veteran, tries to conquer his audience that after an hour and a half, moves a little more. “Thanks Cuba for the music you have given the world,” he said.

A few days before the concert in Havana, the British placed on the web a video that Cubans lack of access to high speed Internet, Internet or even short, could not see . Ironically, the country’s declining communism is the Granma , the official organ of the Cuban Communist Party, which has increased in recent days educational programs to explain who these Stones. Really, Cuba is another world.