It was a high Watt-age performance that occurred during a “crossfire hurricane.”
The late and great Charlie Watts managed to end his storied career of nearly 60 years with The Rolling Stones with a bang — by putting on an electrifying final show at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium, as a hurricane loomed.
At the time, fans had no idea that August 30, 2019, would be the last time they’d see Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ron Wood and Watts share the stage, Rolling Stone reported. In fact, the “No Filter” tour’s final leg got off to a rocky start: Initially, the concert was postponed from April to August so Jagger could undergo heart surgery. It was then moved up a night because Hurricane Dorian was closing in on Miami.
However, the Stones proved that they may indeed have been born in a “crossfire hurricane” after powering out a scintillating performance in front of a rabid, rain-soaked audience.
At one point, Jagger even apologized to the crowd for “screwing up” their weekend plans because of the storm, Miami New Times reported.
Undaunted by the downpour, Watts and company belted out time-honored staples such as “Start Me Up,” “Sympathy For The Devil” and “You Can’t Always Get What You Want.” The iconic group also threw in some deeper cuts, including “Dead Flowers” and “Out Of Control” and capped off the night with a face-melting rendition of “Satisfaction.”
The show’s most memorable moment came when the legendary quartet sang “Sweet Virginia” and “Dead Flowers” from a mini-stage situated on a catwalk dramatically jutting into the center of the stadium.
In his final hurrah as a Stone, Watts sat characteristically detached and unflappable behind his Spartan drum kit.
In fact, when poor health forced Watts to bow out of The Rolling Stones‘ upcoming US tour, it marked the first time that the Hall Of Fame drummer had missed a concert since joining the band in 1963, Rolling Stone reported.
Percussionist Steve Jordan will fill Watts’ drummer chair when the Stones’ upcoming tour kicks off in St. Louis on September 26 — although it’s unlikely that anyone will ever fill his shoes.
