The Police have been specially invited to play a free gig in Cuba, according to a source quoted by Fox News.

Bassist Sting and his wife Trudi Styler visited the Cuban capital Havana at Christmas 2006 where they were apparently “overwhelmed” by the generosity and good spirit of the Cuban people. The government reportedly requested them to play a massive show in December of this year. If it goes ahead, the show will be the final date on their sold-out North American tour.

The Police will not be the first Western band to plug in their amps in Cuba – the Manic Street Preachers hold that honour, as they visited in 2001. Audioslave, the now-defunct supergroup consisting of members of Rage Against The Machine and Soundgarden, also played there in 2005.

Ben Patashnik