"Live in Cuba" is the first live DVD by the American rock supergroup Audioslave, capturing a historic concert performed in Havana on May 6, 2005. This event is notable as one of the rare occasions when American musicians were allowed to perform in Cuba, a situation made possible by special permissions from both U.S. President George W. Bush and Cuban President Fidel Castro.
The concert took place at Havana's Plaza Anti Imperialista in front of an audience of 70,000 people, marking a significant cultural exchange amidst the ongoing U.S. embargo against Cuba. Audioslave's performance was organized with the authorization of the U.S. Department of Treasury and the Cuban Institute of Music. Guitarist Tom Morello claimed it was the first American rock band to play in Cuba, although there had been other American artists who performed there prior to 2005.
The Live in Cuba DVD features footage from the concert, along with a 37-minute documentary that highlights the band’s experiences and interactions with the Cuban people, showcasing their appreciation for the local culture and arts. The concert setlist primarily includes tracks from Audioslave's first two albums, Audioslave and Out of Exile, as well as "Audioslave-ized" renditions of songs from Soundgarden and Rage Against the Machine.
The concert featured a mix of high-energy performances, including moshing and crowd surfing. It also marked the live debut of the track "Heaven's Dead." After the concert, Morello remarked that Audioslave had "single-handedly demolished the rock and roll blockade against Cuba."
The DVD was released on October 11, 2005, in two formats: a standard edition containing the concert footage and a special edition that includes an audio CD of live sessions recorded for AOL. The DVD serves as a documentation of a unique moment in music history, blending the spirit of rock with a significant political backdrop.
