Backstoppalooza, the Ed Nestor Memorial Benefit Concert, returns to Chesterfield Amphitheater on August 22, with gates opening at 5:30 p.m. for a free night of live music raising money for the families of first responders killed or catastrophically injured in the line of duty. Tyler Lewis opens the show at 6:30 p.m., followed by Mississippi Moon's tribute to the Doobie Brothers at 7:30 p.m. Admission costs nothing, but the concert's real work happens at the food tents and raffle tables, where every dollar spent flows to The BackStoppers, Inc.
The lineup and ticket details were shared by the Chesterfield Missouri Police Department in a Facebook post promoting the August 22 show at the amphitheater, located at 631 Veterans Place Drive. The BackStoppers, Inc., founded in 1959, is a nonprofit that assists the families of police officers, firefighters, volunteer firefighters, publicly funded paramedics, and EMTs across Missouri and Illinois. The organization provides both immediate and ongoing financial assistance to families of first responders killed, catastrophically injured, or who suffer a fatal medical event in the line of duty.
Raffle Tickets Start at $1, Winner Drawn at Intermission
According to the same post, this year's 50/50 raffle offers one ticket for $1, five tickets for $5, an arm's length of tickets for $10, or a full arm's length for $20. The winning ticket will be drawn at intermission. Raffle proceeds, like all the concert's food and beverage sales, go directly to The BackStoppers.
The nonprofit currently assists roughly 100 families and 75 dependent children, and it has supported more than 200 families since its founding, per the department's post. That assistance includes debt elimination, medical, dental, and vision insurance, educational expenses from daycare through college, property-related expenses, and coverage for unforeseen financial needs that arise after a tragedy.
Burger Sales and Sponsors Have Raised $782,000 Since 2013
Much of that money comes from the grill line at the amphitheater, where Chesterfield Police Officers cook burgers donated by local sponsors, with 100 percent of food sales going directly to The BackStoppers, according to the City of Chesterfield. The concert is folded into the city's Sounds of Summer series, a free lineup of community shows and tribute acts at the amphitheater. Since 2013, Backstoppalooza has raised more than $782,000 for the nonprofit, including $82,000 collected at the 2024 event alone.
The Concert's Namesake: Captain Ed Nestor's Legacy
The concert takes its name from Captain Ed Nestor, an original member of the Chesterfield Police Department who served from its 1989 founding until his death from pancreatic cancer in January 2019, according to KSDK. Nestor also chaired Backstoppalooza before his death, the station reported.
Lt. Chris Connelly, who helped establish the Chesterfield Police Department alongside Nestor in 1989, later took over as the concert's primary coordinator before retiring in January 2026, Hoodline reported in a story on his retirement after 44 years in law enforcement. His departure marks a personnel shift for an event long organized by two of the department's founding officers.
BackStoppers' Reach Spans 28 Counties and Nearly $3 Million a Year
Backstoppalooza's proceeds feed into an organization with a sprawling footprint: The BackStoppers, Inc. covers 28 counties across eastern Missouri and southwestern Illinois, a region it expanded into Phelps County in 2022. The nonprofit provides roughly $2.5 million to $3 million in financial assistance each year, funded primarily through memberships, corporate donors, and community events like this one.
When an eligible first responder dies in the line of duty, the organization immediately sends the surviving family a $10,000 check to cover urgent expenses before working through the rest of their debt, according to Phelps County Focus. For first responders who survive catastrophic, career-ending injuries, the organization has said it can provide up to $150,000 in direct financial assistance.
New Leadership Takes Over at The BackStoppers
Leadership at the charity has also changed hands. Retired St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department Lt. Col. Lawrence M. O'Toole became Executive Director of The BackStoppers, Inc. in September 2024, taking over after longtime director Col. Ron Battelle retired. O'Toole brings more than 40 years of regional law enforcement experience to the role.
Backstoppalooza isn't the only local event feeding the nonprofit's budget this year — St. Louis police and firefighters recently squared off at another BackStoppers benefit event at Enterprise Center. For Chesterfield, though, the free show at the amphitheater on August 22 remains a hometown tradition — one that started as a tribute to a captain who spent three decades protecting the city he served.
