On Sunday, Leftover Salmon paid tribute to Nedfest founder “Michigan” Mike Torpe with a Suicide Awareness Benefit Concert in Rollinsville, Colorado. Torpe was 43 years old when he died on Thanksgiving Day. Torpe hosted the Nederland Music and Arts Festival in 1996 and then founded Nedfest three years later, with a lineup that featured Yonder Mountain String Band, Stanley Jordan, The Motet and then grew to include musicians such as Keller Williams, Steve Kimock, David Grisman, Dr. John, The Benevento/Russo Duo, Bill Kreutzmann and many others throughout the years. Torpe was a much loved and respected member of the Nederland music scene.

On Sunday night, Leftover Salmon welcomed Silas Herman and Bonnie Paine and Dan Rodriguez of Elephant Revival to the stage for songs like “Break in the Clouds” and “Maude Only Knows” (the members of Elephant Revival opened the night). Yonder Mountain String Band’s Jeff Austin also joined the band for the second set for numbers like “Sittin’ on Top of the World” and “I Shall Be Released.” Elephant Revival returned to the stage with Austin and Leftover Salmon for a “Wake and Bake” encore.

On Friday, Leftover Salmon played a slew of covers, including “Tangled Up In Blue,” “Whole Lotta Love” and “Dead Flowers.” Then on Saturday night in Denver, Silas Herman (on mandolin) joined the band for “Dangerman” and “She Caught the Katy.” Silas returned to the stage with Joe Lessard on fiddle (of Head For The Hills) for “Nobody’s Fault But Mine.”

Leftover Salmon will ring in the New Year with two shows in Portland, Oregon.