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Madrid didn’t really feel like a “tour opener” on June 1, 2022—it felt like a question hanging over a stadium full of noise. The Rolling Stones stepped onto the stage at Wanda Metropolitano carrying the weight of a new reality, one where Charlie Watts wasn’t behind the kit anymore, and everyone knew it even if no one said it out loud. The crowd came ready for celebration, but there was a noticeable pause underneath the excitement, like something familiar had shifted. Still, the band did what they always do: they played. Mick Jagger moved with restless urgency, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood locked into their familiar, slightly reckless guitar chemistry, and the music pushed forward anyway. It wasn’t about filling a gap—it couldn’t be. Instead, it became a night shaped by absence and persistence, where every song felt like both a memory and a refusal to stop.
June 1, 2022: Wanda Metropolitano, Madrid, Spain (Sixty tour, European leg, No Charlie) Street Fighting Man/19th Nervous Breakdown/Sad Sad Sad/Tumbling Dice/Out Of Time/Beast Of Burden/You Can’t Always Get What You Want/Living In A Ghost Town/Honky Tonk Women/Band introduction/Happy/Slipping Away/Miss You/Midnight Rambler/Start Me Up/Paint It Black/Sympathy For The Devil/Jumpin’ Jack Flash/Gimme Shelter/Satisfaction
The Rolling Stones in Madrid: A New Era Begins
On June 1, 2022, The Rolling Stones kicked off a new chapter at Madrid’s Wanda Metropolitano Stadium, opening their European tour under a very different spotlight. It wasn’t just another stadium blowout—it was the first major European show without Charlie Watts, and that absence hung in the air even louder than the amps. The crowd showed up with the usual excitement, but also a quiet question nobody really wanted to say out loud: what does the Stones machine look like when one of its most unshakable parts is gone?
From the first notes, the band didn’t try to replace what was missing—they simply moved forward, loud and defiant. Mick Jagger worked the stage with restless energy, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood locked into their familiar, ragged chemistry, and the music kept pushing ahead like it always has. It wasn’t just a concert—it was a test, a tribute, and a reminder that change doesn’t stop the show.
A Tribute in Every Beat
As the band took the stage, it was clear: this night was as much a tribute as it was a celebration. From the moment the first riff rang out, Mick, Keith, and Ronnie gave it everything they had—not just for the crowd, but for Charlie. Steve Jordan (and former Keith Richards bandmate in The X-Pensive Winos) as history has it, handpicked by Watts himself, held down the drums with respect and fire, honoring Charlie’s legacy without imitation. The setlist was powerful, the vibe intense. Classics hit harder than ever, charged with the weight of memory and the power of persistence.
The crowd responded not just with applause, but with deep appreciation. Madrid witnessed more than a concert that night—it was a turning point for European fans. The Stones, weathered and relentless, proved they could carry on with grace, grit, and a whole lot of soul. Charlie Watts may no longer be on stage, but his presence echoed in every beat. The Rolling Stones are still rolling— but is it really “The Stones” now? And if it is, then what was it when Charlie was there?
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