After a solid night in Boulder the fans returned to the historic venue for one more night of Leftover Salmon. This post-Thanksgiving run had already given fans plenty to be thankful for, and there was still one more show to go. Friday had been a 21+ show but when the doors opened on Saturday again around 8:30 PM the younger fans got their chance to hit the rail. About thirty minutes before showtime a large ear of corn made it’s way to the microphone. However it didn’t say anything, prompting some fans to accost the poor vegetable. Finally, at the appointed time the spry corn man sprung to life and introduced the band.
“Let’s hear it for corn.” –Vince
Salmon took the stage again just after 9:30 PM and there was a distinct electricity in the air. The show that would follow is the type of event that makes people lifelong fans.
They opened with a massive Drew soaked “Down In A Hollow.” Then “Mountaintop” was a little lull to make sure everyone was inside, before they kicked it into high gear with John Hartford’s “Steam Powered Aeroplane.” Fans were treated to another rare track in the form of the Cajun frolic, “Who Put the Pepper In The Vaseline” which featured a nice breakdown from Robinson on the kit. Drew Emmitt has one of the best voices in bluegrass and to hear him sing is to be impressed. Bill Payne’s Hammond beautifully accented Drew’s vocals on “Breaking Through,” which went well over ten minutes. The traditional “Squirrel Heads and Gravy” became an all out hoedown before the intricately stunning “Last Days of Autumn.” The packed room swelled as the fans danced feverishly. The short “Thompipe” featured some amazing banjo action from Mr. Andy Thorn. They broke into a winning version of The Band’s “Ophelia” where the band took full advantage of Payne’s piano with multiple extensive solos. They closed the first set with the only Payne-sung lyrics of the night on the first verse of “Dixie Chicken.” Drew took over vocals for the rest of the tune. Vince coaxed the audience to bellow out the well-known melody of the refrain, which they eventually did. The band walked off stage to that sound before the room exploded in applause.
Kyle Hollingsworth had been spotted around the Boulder Theater; so, many fans including myself were expecting a sit in. After the traditional “Rueben’s Train” opener we got just that. Vince invited the longtime local to join them onstage. It took them a minute to find their groove on “Here Comes The Night,” but with Kyle at the organ and Payne on the keys, they eventually found synchronicity. Hollingsworth stuck around for another go around on “Keep Driving” before he disappeared backstage. The remainder of the set was an absolute “Best Of” run from Leftover Salmon. Vince took the reigns on Peter Tosh’s “Walk and Don’t Look Back” which was a bit like tossing reggae and bluegrass into a centrifuge. “Up On The Hill” featured an incredible solo from Thorn on banjo before he wowed the audience with the brilliantly dramatic “Light Behind The Rain.” With all the recent flooding we’ve had in Colorado, “River’s Rising” took on a new relevance. The Vince sung Little Feat classic “Willin’” was yet another highlight in a show with far too many. The massive set closing “Don’t Think Hank Done It This Way” sandwich took a stellar show and absolutely launched it over the top. Featuring a huge shout out to Lou Reed in the form of “Take A Walk On The Wild Side” as well as a tight rendition of the Rolling Stones’ “Can’t Always Get What You Want.” They went back into “Hank” to wrap it all up neatly.
As the band left I literally had to reach down and pick my jaw up off of the floor. They of course returned with a large ear of corn in tow. The punch line came in the form of a “Hotcorn Coldcorn” encore complete with a dancing grain plant. As if that wasn’t enough Salmon finished the night with a rockabilly version of Led Zeppelin’s “Rock and Roll.” The people filtered out into the Boulder streets with wide smiles and stories to tell. Bill Payne was an absolute delight throughout both of his nights with LoS. Payne’s experience and style meshed incredibly well with the entire band, and it’s time for a keyboardist of his caliber to be touring with them full time. It seems that recently Leftover Salmon has been on fire. They are a new band with a new energy, but above all they are having fun. They aren’t afraid to be inventive and continue to hone their craft instead of stagnating. I for one am thankful for Leftover Salmon.
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