"The Rolling Stones like to be the first ones in everything, so they decided to do a concert in Cuba: they want to give a great show here before any other band," says Dale Skjerseth.

"We've never done a show like we expect to have at the Sports City of Havana," he told reporters during a tour of the premises where the free presentation will be on 25 March the legendary British band.

The group always offers something different in each place where they play, in Havana will sing their classic songs ever, but there may be surprises, he said.

"It will be a night only for the Rolling Stones, without opening act", he stated.

It can maybe even break the record for the Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro, concert attended by half a million people.


They had to reschedule the concert due to the visit of US President Barack Obama and even moved their vacation time to make the concert in Cuba, he said.

It seems that Obama will be our opening act, joked Skjerseth, for sure he did not want to miss the show.

The proscenium at the Ciudad Deportiva has about 80 meters long, 56 wide and 20 high and will also feature 10 screens arranged along the ground.

While it was a challenge to teach how to do things when mounting the stage, also proved a learning experience, he told.

The center of the agenda of the "Satanic Majesties" in Cuba is to perform a concert at the Sports City and so far it is not known whether they will have exchanges with the island' rock groups or other meetings.

According to international media, next March 25 will be the first presentation of a group of the likes of the Rolling on the island and the only concert until now from that group in the Caribbean.

The event will close the British Music Week in Havana, which began on March 18. It will also mark the end of the tour the band Olé Latin America, which has grown rave reviews, with multitudinous performances in stadiums Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Peru, Colombia and Mexico.

Translated from [www.cubadebate.cu]

Some more pics from the stage:







Photo credit: Enrique Castro

[www.lavozdemichoacan.com.mx]

Quote
Cristiano Radtke
A short video with Dale Skjerseth's interview:

Thanks for posting, Christiano!

I am in Cuba but there is no wireless internet so far to be found unless you are a residential of one of the few hotels here with working wireless. I am at a good hotel but the message is "it is not working". But they have a PC in the lobby so I can comment on the IORR forum pages. But I can't read e-mail.

The concert venue has space for may be 200,000 people on that marked area right in front of the stage. Then there is space for another 200,000 people to the left side as seen from the crowd, i.e. the far "Ronnie side". They will not see the stage but with a monitor they will be fine. If they close the street in front of the large area then there will be another 200,000 ++ with easy access behind the fence which is bars without obstruction. I would guess half a million easy sight, the rest party time.

Inglaterre = meeting place for fans

If someone need to meet up then I would advice meeting up at the Inglaterre Hotel, they have a large nice outside area. Inglaterre is known by everyone in Havana. It is two blocks from the Capitolio, same side of Prado. Try 5pm - 6pm in the afternoon if you need a time to meet.

[www.hotelinglaterra-cuba.com]

Hotel Inglaterra, 416 Paseo de Martí (Paseo de Prado)



Bjornulf



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2016-03-20 02:27 by bv.

Quote
bv
I am in Cuba but there is no wireless internet so far to be found unless you are a residential of one of the few hotels here with working wireless. I am at a good hotel but the message is "it is not working". But they have a PC in the lobby so I can comment on the IORR forum pages. But I can't read e-mail.

The concert venue has space for may be 200,000 people on that marked area right in front of the stage. Then there is space for another
Inglaterre = meeting place for fans

If someone need to meet up then I would advice meeting up at the Inglaterre Hotel, they have a large nice outside area. Inglaterre is known by everyone in Havana. It is two blocks from the Capitolio, same side of Prado. Try 5pm - 6pm in the afternoon if you need a time to meet.

[www.hotelinglaterra-cuba.com]

Hotel Inglaterra, 416 Paseo de Martí (Paseo de Prado)

Thanks bv, I've been waiting for this message. See all you fellow IORR'ers at hotel inglaterra, 5-6pm. No date mentioned but I will start showing up at that time as of the 23rd. I leave in 48 hours & am beyond excited at this point. I have heard they serve the best mojito's at the hotel

Enjoy Cuba Bjornulf! If you have never been, go to Trinidad. It is one of the most beautiful cities of Latin America

Really nice photo BV.

One of our local Boston stations just reported the Stones were originally looking st playing Cuba today but President Obama's visit forced a date change.

It's going to be a really big sheww!

Quote
bv
I am in Cuba but there is no wireless internet so far to be found unless you are a residential of one of the few hotels here with working wireless. I am at a good hotel but the message is "it is not working". But they have a PC in the lobby so I can comment on the IORR forum pages. But I can't read e-mail.

The concert venue has space for may be 200,000 people on that marked area right in front of the stage. Then there is space for another 200,000 people to the left side as seen from the crowd, i.e. the far "Ronnie side". They will not see the stage but with a monitor they will be fine. If they close the street in front of the large area then there will be another 200,000 ++ with easy access behind the fence which is bars without obstruction. I would guess half a million easy sight, the rest party time.

Inglaterre = meeting place for fans

If someone need to meet up then I would advice meeting up at the Inglaterre Hotel, they have a large nice outside area. Inglaterre is known by everyone in Havana. It is two blocks from the Capitolio, same side of Prado. Try 5pm - 6pm in the afternoon if you need a time to meet.

[www.hotelinglaterra-cuba.com]

Hotel Inglaterra, 416 Paseo de Martí (Paseo de Prado)

Interent works at Hotel Inglaterra. If you're a guest you can buy a tarjeta (ticket) at the reception. If not there is a guy on the street selling them for 3 CUC. One ticket gives you 1 hour of full internet access.

Where are the Stones staying between the last Mexico City show and the Cuba show? I can't imagine they will stay in Cuba for a week if resources are so limited. Are they staying in Mexico City, or maybe Miami?

.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2016-03-20 16:28 by Plink.

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rbarnes00
Where are the Stones staying between the last Mexico City show and the Cuba show? I can't imagine they will stay in Cuba for a week if resources are so limited. Are they staying in Mexico City, or maybe Miami?

They probably went home to their houses and families and will return on Thursday. I can imagine ronnie would want to be with his pregnant wife .
jeroen

Just Heard the show is postponed five days????? Because of President Obama's visit. One of you called it earlier!

Quote
swaff
Just Heard the show is postponed five days????? Because of President Obama's visit. One of you called it earlier!

if this is true, i will be going. Must be April1 , fools day joke.
Jeroen



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2016-03-20 19:00 by corriecas.

I've made some pins for friends we meet in Havana. I hope we can all trade stories and have a great time together. We will meet you on the 21st at Hotel Inglaterra.



Zachary
West Coast Promotions Man

Keep two apart for me amd my wife, we'll come on tuesday from el salvador via panama.

------m.

Thank you for latest information, guys.

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Cristiano Radtke

Ole stage is back !
But no catwalk ?
Or just not built yet ?

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WestCoastPromotionMan
I've made some pins for friends we meet in Havana. I hope we can all trade stories and have a great time together. We will meet you on the 21st at Hotel Inglaterra.



Zachary
West Coast Promotions Man

That's cool! Really nice!

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corriecas

Quote
swaff
Just Heard the show is postponed five days????? Because of President Obama's visit. One of you called it earlier!

if this is true, i will be going. Must be April1 , fools day joke.
Jeroen

Just found a Reuters report, the way I read it, seems the show was scheduled for today and was rescheduled five days. Making it for the now 25th!!! ???
(Nice reporting "weekend" TV reporter producer, NOT) Or do I owe you an apology? We'll wait and see.

Just booked a fishing trip for marlin ,and rumours are that Keef will do the same!

Quote
WestCoastPromotionMan
I've made some pins for friends we meet in Havana. I hope we can all trade stories and have a great time together. We will meet you on the 21st at Hotel Inglaterra.



Zachary
West Coast Promotions Man

Beautiful - hopefully you will come back to the Hotel Inglaterra on the 23rd & still have some buttons left!

Wendy YVR->YYZ->YUL->HAV

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Cristiano Radtke
"On March 17, the Icelandic Monitor announced that the Icelandic Glacial company will provide all water consumed at the Ciudad Deportiva de la Habana on the day of the Rolling Stones concert.

Says Icelandic Glacial CEO Jón Ólafsson, "It’s a really exciting cooperation, the band will drink our water, everyone back stage and everyone going to the concert. It’s also the first time that foreign water is available in Cuba.”

[www.inquisitr.com]

Wow!

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bv
Cuba is on an official embargo by USA, since 1960, i.e. from before The Rolling Stones were formed. This means US companies and private people are not allowed to do business with Cuba. If you use USA based tools they may pretend Cuba does not exsist. Like cruise ships, travel guides, booking systems and so on.

Try using web sites based in one of the many contries who do have trade and connection with Cuba, like Mexico, Canada, most European countries South and Central America etc. I.e. web sites with .cu .ca .mx .es etc in the web site domain names.

This is one of the reasons why the Stones will be performing a show in Cuba. It is not normal to have an embargo going for 66 years. The embargo is including things we take for granted, like life saving drugs for children and so on. Still, they have found a way to allow the best baseball players from Cuba into the US series.

United States embargo against Cuba
[en.wikipedia.org]

A total of 97% of all nations on this planet have voted against the embargo. The UN General Assembly has, since 1992, passed a resolution every year condemning the ongoing impact of the embargo and declaring it to be in violation of the Charter of the United Nations and international law. In 2014, out of the 193-nation assembly, 188 countries voted for the nonbinding resolution.

I am sitting here in Mexico and watching the weather reports. They show the map with Mexico lower left, USA upper top, and Cuba lower right just under Florida USA, part of these three nations on this map. You may blank out this country Cuba of 11 millon people on the map and pretend they do not exist, but luckily more and more people realize the fact that talking is better than blocking.

Beautifully put

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LovingCupola

Quote
bv
I am in Cuba but there is no wireless internet so far to be found unless you are a residential of one of the few hotels here with working wireless. I am at a good hotel but the message is "it is not working". But they have a PC in the lobby so I can comment on the IORR forum pages. But I can't read e-mail.

The concert venue has space for may be 200,000 people on that marked area right in front of the stage. Then there is space for another
Inglaterre = meeting place for fans

If someone need to meet up then I would advice meeting up at the Inglaterre Hotel, they have a large nice outside area. Inglaterre is known by everyone in Havana. It is two blocks from the Capitolio, same side of Prado. Try 5pm - 6pm in the afternoon if you need a time to meet.

[www.hotelinglaterra-cuba.com]

Hotel Inglaterra, 416 Paseo de Martí (Paseo de Prado)

Thanks bv, I've been waiting for this message. See all you fellow IORR'ers at hotel inglaterra, 5-6pm. No date mentioned but I will start showing up at that time as of the 23rd. I leave in 48 hours & am beyond excited at this point. I have heard they serve the best mojito's at the hotel

My heart is heavy - I was booked at the Hotel Intlaterra March 20 and 21 and couldn't take the extra week when the date changed....... party for me guys

Quote
swaff
Just Heard the show is postponed five days????? Because of President Obama's visit. One of you called it earlier!

Yes it was rescheduled from the weekend of 3/20-21 to 3/25 which is why I now cannot go! Even had a reservation at the Hotel Inglaterra! Such is life. Long live the Rolling Stones!

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sarahunwin

Quote
swaff
Just Heard the show is postponed five days????? Because of President Obama's visit. One of you called it earlier!

Yes it was rescheduled from the weekend of 3/20-21 to 3/25 which is why I now cannot go! Even had a reservation at the Hotel Inglaterra! Such is life. Long live the Rolling Stones!

Indeed! I am sorry not to be able to meet you Sarah & the HI would have been a beautiful place to stay. I will raise a glass to you from there.

The eagle has landed .. Obama is in Havana right now, this is history!

El vocalista de la banda Mick Jagger, durante una visita a La Habana el pasado mes de octubre.

[www.telesurtv.net].

Don't tell me Mick! Broke down on the way to pick up "The Prez"

Since the Periscope business is in doubt, I thought of an interesting if not too original idea.

Why not just stream the whole concert in high-definition for free to the world? All that you would need would be YouTube and one or two other big-time Internet backbone streamers to pick up the feed and then the free concert would be free for the world.

This is not Live Aid or something like that that would have a few hundred million people watching. I figure that there would be a million or two watching max.

Stream the world, let them know the Stones are here again! lol

You never know, this could be...