The Rolling Stones kicked off their highly anticipated No Filter Tour in 2021 with a special tribute to their late drummer, Charlie Watts. The show, held at the Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis, began with a video montage of Watts, who passed away in August of that year at the age of 80.
As the montage ended, frontman Mick Jagger and guitarist Keith Richards took to the stage and expressed their emotions about performing without Watts. Jagger commented on the emotional impact of seeing the images of Charlie on the screen, and Richards added that it was “tough to be here without him.”
The show continued with a powerful performance of “Street Fighting Man” that saw Jagger jumping and strutting across the stage, accompanied by his bandmates Ronnie Wood and Charlie’s replacement drummer, Steve Jordan. The setlist included classics such as “Start Me Up,” “Honky Tonk Women,” and “Jumpin’ Jack Flash,” along with deeper cuts like “Worried About You” and “Before They Make Me Run.”
The tribute to Charlie Watts continued throughout the show, with the band dedicating several songs to their beloved drummer. The Stones also included a new song, “Living in the Heart of Love,” which they dedicated to Watts.
The No Filter Tour 2021 was the first tour that the Rolling Stones had done without Charlie Watts, who had been a member of the band since 1963. Despite his absence, the band delivered an electrifying performance that paid tribute to their longtime friend and bandmate, showing that the Stones’ music will continue to rock on for generations to come.
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