The Rolling Stones played an intimate London show in celebration of their late bandmate Charlie Watts last night (December 6).

The band’s Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood, as well as former bassist Bill Wyman, were all in attendance at Ronnie Scott’s in Soho, along with a number of Watts’ family and friends.

Jools Holland compered the evening and led a house band featuring Dave Green (Watt’s childhood friend and a frequent collaborator in his jazz bands), Ben Waters, and Axel Zwingenberger.

Members of the Rolling Stones’ touring band also performed. Saxophonist Tim Ries played a special composition called ‘Blues For Charlie’, singer Lisa Fischer performed ‘Trouble On My Mind’, and was then joined by Bernard Fowler to duet on the gospel song, ‘Up Above My Head’.

The evening ended with an impromptu jam session by Watts’ bandmates Jagger, Wood and Richards performing the rhythm and blues standards ‘Shame Shame Shame’ and ‘Down the Road Apiece’.

Longtime Stones drummer Watts died at the age of 80 in August, prompting a huge outpouring of tributes from the music world and beyond. His surviving bandmates reflected on the “huge loss” last month before later dedicating their first show of 2021 to Watts.

Steve Jordan, who initially stepped in so that Watts could recover from surgery, is now The Rolling Stones’ permanent touring drummer.

Last month, viral teen drummer Nandi Bushell paid tribute to Watts with a multi-instrumental performance of the band’s ‘Gimme Shelter’.

Meanwhile, Måneskin have been by hailed by Mick Jagger after they completed the final night of their US tour supporting The Rolling Stones.

The Italian rock band and Eurovision Song Contest 2021 winners opened for the veteran rockers at Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium on November 6.