Rolling Stones Dedicate First Performance to Late Bandmate Charlie Watts: 'Let's Have a Drink to Charlie'
Tue, September 21, 2021, 3:30 PM
Charlie Watts Rolling Stones
Samir Hussein/WireImage The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are honoring their late bandmate Charlie Watts.
On Tuesday, frontman Mick Jagger shared a clip on Twitter of the first unofficial performance in the band's No Filter tour showing that before they started, the band dedicated the show to their fellow member, who died last month.
"At this point, it's a bit of a poignant night for us because this is our first tour in 59 years that we've done without our lovely Charlie Watts," said Jagger, 78. "And we all miss Charlie so much — we miss him as a band, we miss him as a friend — on and off the stage and we've got so many memories of Charlie. I'm sure that some of you who have seen us before miss Charlie as well and I hope you'll remember him like we do. "
"We'd like to dedicate this show to Charlie," he continued. Jagger then walked to pick up a beer and raised his bottle in honor of Watts before taking a drink and saying, "Let's have a drink to Charlie!"
RELATED: Rolling Stones Pay Tribute to Drummer Charlie Watt with Sweet Video Following His Death
"Charlie, we're playing for you man, we're playing for you," said Ronnie Wood, the Rolling Stones' bassist.
The Rolling Stones will officially set off on their tour on Sept. 26 in St. Louis, Missouri. However, a small crowd of guests were invited to see the band play a 14-song warmup show on Monday night in Foxboro, Massachusetts.
The show was also the unofficial debut of touring drummer Steve Jordan.
Charlie Watts
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RELATED: Rolling Stones' Charlie Watts Dies at 80: 'One of the Greatest Drummers of His Generation'
PEOPLE confirmed Watts' death at 80 years old on Aug. 24.
''It is with immense sadness that we announce the death of our beloved Charlie Watts. He passed away peacefully in a London hospital earlier today surrounded by his family," his publicist Bernard Doherty said in a statement to PEOPLE at the time.
"Charlie was a cherished husband, father and grandfather and also as a member of The Rolling Stones one of the greatest drummers of his generation," the statement continued. "We kindly request that the privacy of his family, band members and close friends is respected at this difficult time."
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