Legendary rock group Blondie performs in Cuba for the first time

Havana — Legendary American rock group Blondie performed in two concerts this weekend in Havana, sharing the stage with Cuban artists Alain Perez, David Blanco and Sintesis during the band’s first appearance on the island.

“We’ve wanted to come here for a long time, so thank you for making it happen,” lead singer Debbie Harry said.

The 73-year-old Harry and bandmates Chris Stein and Tommy Kessler on guitar; bass player Leigh Foxx; and keyboardist Matt Katz-Bohen performed on Friday night and Saturday night at Havana’s famous Teatro Mella.

The group, founded in 1974 in New York by Harry and Stein, was a pioneer in American new wave and punk music.

Blondie, which was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006, did not disappoint its fans in Cuba, cranking out big hits, like “Heart of Glass,” and “Attack of the Giant Ants,” one of the tracks on the band’s 1976 eponymous debut studio album.

Blondie also performed songs from its latest album, “Pollinator,” which was released in 2017 and marked a return to the group’s roots.

“Pollinator” is the group’s most successful album since “No Exit” (1999).

The band, which has sold more than 40 million records and CDs, was in the Cuban capital for “Blondie in Havana,” a cultural exchange and tourism package aimed at the rock group’s fans.

The four-day package included visits to places of interest on the island, meetings with Cuban artists and admission to the two concerts.

On her arrival in Cuba last week, Harry said she wanted to use the band’s visit to the island for a broad cultural exchange and interactions with the public.

“We’re going to try a kind of semi-integration with the community and, perhaps, to do some appearances and concerts before the two official events, maybe we can do a drum circle or some type of musical communication, it’s not clear yet,” drummer Clem Burke told the official Cubadebate website.

“Blondie in Havana” followed the same model as “Wainwright Libre! Rufus in Havana,” which took American artist Rufus Wainwright to Havana for a four-day event in November 2017.

The next American musician scheduled to perform in the Cuban capital is country artist Tim McGraw, who will take the stage for two concerts during a May 23-27 event on the island.

McGraw will also perform at the Teatro Mella.