West L.A. Fadeaway

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History

A regular in The Grateful Dead’s amazing arsenal of songs since 1982, “West L.A. Fadeaway” was covered by Phish with Bob Weir – rhythm guitarist, songwriter and vocalist for The Grateful Dead – at Shoreline on 10/6/00. A highly valued “Jerry tune” (Jerry, not Bobby, sang this song’s lyrics at Dead shows) among Deadheads, Dead versions often featured spectacularly moving, inspired playing by Garcia, particularly at Dead shows in the 1980s. The reference in the song to a “chateau,” at which the song’s protagonist wants to rent a room for an hour or two, is the Chateau Marmont, a hotel on Sunset Strip in Los Angeles where John Belushi died on March 5, 1982. Phish’s cover of it at Shoreline featured beautiful singing from Bob Weir, who also accompanied on rhythm guitar.

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