Watch The Rolling Stones Debut Chi-Lites Cover At First Show Without Charlie Watts

Rich Fury/Getty Images

Watch The Rolling Stones Debut Chi-Lites Cover At First Show Without Charlie Watts

Rich Fury/Getty Images

In the two months since the Rolling Stones announced their rescheduled North American stadium tour, their legendary drummer Charlie Watts passed away. Before his death, the Stones had already planned to have Steve Jordan sub in for Watts while he recovered from a medical procedure, so the tour is moving forward as scheduled. And although it technically begins this Sunday in St. Louis, the band played a warmup show last night at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass.

Yes, the Stones are so big that even their unofficial gigs are at stadiums. For what it’s worth, it looks like this one was in a more intimate, enclosed section of the facility. The show was a private performance arranged by Meek Mill’s pal Robert Kraft, who owns the stadium and its tenants, the New England Patriots. (As a Major League Soccer fan, I am obliged to point out Kraft also owns the first-place New England Revolution, who play at Gillette too.)

Some highlights from the 14-song setlist: It was the first time the Stones have ever opened a show with “Let’s Spend the Night Together,” the first song on 1967’s Between The Buttons. Their 2020 single “Living In A Ghost Town” had its live debut. They played 1965 hit “19th Nervous Breakdown” for the first time since 2005. And early in the set, they covered “Troubles a’Comin’,” a deep cut from the Chi-Lites’ 1971 album (For God’s Sake) Give More Power To The People that the Stones recorded during the sessions for 1980’s Tattoo You.

Watch some footage of the night below, including Mick Jagger’s dedication to Watts, and scroll down for the full setlist.

SETLIST:
“Let’s Spend The Night Together”
“Tumbling Dice”
“Under My Thumb”
“Troubles a’Comin'”
“Living In A Ghost Town”
“You Can’t Always Get What You Want”
“Midnight Rambler”
“Miss You”
“19th Nervous Breakdown”
“Start Me Up”
“Gimme Shelter”
“Sympathy For The Devil”
“Jumpin’ Jack Flash”
“(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction”

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