Rolling Stone Watts to play in Bad Ischl with boogie band

The legendary drummer’s group will hit the stage at Bad Ischl’s Lehar Theater tonight (Mon), but the four-piece will also perform at the same venue this Friday after tickets for the first date sold out within hours.

British pianist and BBC presenter Jools Holland will join the band – which features Watts, pianist Axel Zwingenberger, Dave Green on double bass and pianist Ben Waters – on stage Friday night, it has been announced.

Tour manager Willi Türk explained that "The ABC & D of Boogie Woogie" were formed one year ago when Watts, Zwingenberger and Waters met in Vienna.

Watts meanwhile explained the difference between performing with "The ABC & D of Boogie Woogie" and rock giants the Rolling Stones.

"My world sitting behind the drums is the same on the huge stages with the Stones as it is at these small theatres (with ‘The ABC & D of Boogie Woogie’). The only difference is that we don’t rehearse (with ‘The ABC & D of Boogie Woogie’) but just start to play which makes every concert different – while I need to ensure the sound doesn’t fall apart on stage with the Stones," the 68-year-old said.

Apart from performing with the Rolling Stones, horse breeder Watts has visited Austria several times over the past few years to attend horse fairs such as the Pferdemesse in Wels.