Over half a million people are expected Friday at the Rolling Stones first ever concert in Cuba, a landmark cultural event that comes just three days after U.S. President Barack Obama visited the Caribbean nation.
The British band, led by Mick Jagger, arrived late Thursday to the Cuban capital for the free concert at Havana's Ciudad Deportiva Sports Complex. The band's Cuba stop ends its "Ole" Latin America tour, which also included concerts in Brazil, Uruguay, Chile, Argentina and Mexico.
"It's a real pleasure to be here in Cuba for a very special and historic moment," said Jagger to reporters after arriving in a chartered flight from Miami.
Cuba's Institute of Music said the entry to the complex will begin at 2 PM local time and locals and foreigners planned to be there earlier to grab a good position to see the legendary rock group.
Around 500,000 people could fill the concert area but some Cuban media outlets estimate that the same number or more could swarm into neighboring streets.
For Cubans, it is a unique opportunity to attend a show of the most famous rock band in the world.
"This concert is very special to millions of Cubans of different generations. It's definitely a dream come true," Eugenio Rodriguez, a 47-year-old taxi driver, told Xinhua.
There were no concert posters or advertisement around Havana for the show but state media has broadcasted videos regarding the concert.
"This concert could mark the start for recognized world artists to include Cuba in their tours," said Maria Gutierrez, an 18-year-old college student, who planned to be at the site of the gig eight hours before.
For the performance, the Stones' production team imported 61 sea containers to set up the stage, lights, LED screens and audio equipment for a technological show that Cubans have never seen.
In their first night in Havana, the legendary group attended a reception hosted by the British embassy in Cuba where they met the island's most famous musicians, actors and cultural personalities.
Coming three days after Obama's historic visit to Havana, the event is seen as another step in Cuba's new emergence after many years of political, economic and cultural isolation from Western powers.
