The Rolling Stones' 2016 Havana Concert: A Historic Thaw in the Cold War

The Rolling Stones played a free concert in Havana, Cuba, on March 25, 2016, drawing an estimated 500,000 to over a million people — the largest crowd of their entire career. It was the first major Western rock show in Cuba since the 1959 revolution, coming just weeks after President Obama’s historic visit and the reopening of diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Cuba.

The political symbolism was impossible to miss: the band that once represented youthful rebellion and Western excess was now acting as a cultural bridge. They opened with “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” and closed with “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” performing in front of a giant Cuban flag. For many Cubans, it was the first time they’d ever seen the Rolling Stones live, since bootlegs and state TV had been the only access for decades.

The concert also made history for its sheer scale and logistical complexity. The Stones brought in a massive stage and sound system on cargo planes, and the show was streamed live worldwide. It was a moment where rock ’n’ roll and diplomacy collided, and the band later called it “a dream come true.”