December has been traditionally A Jer Bear's Choice month, whereas November has been A Streamer's Choice month. So as the 2015 year ends, it seems fitting for us to reflect on a very special year for us Dead Heads. We all enjoyed the 50th Anniversary celebration of the Grateful Dead in Santa Clara, CA and Chicago, IL this summer. The love we have for Grateful Dead music is real and it will never fade away. Last week on Shakedown Stream we played the very first live version of the Dead performing "Not Fade Away" jamming out of a "Turn on your Lovelite" from June of 1968. This week, we are skipping past 1969 (The Dead performed NFA 3 times in December of '69 - all shows we have already featured on Shakedown Stream) an go to 1970. They played NFA 49 times in '70, more than any other year of their 30 year run of the Grateful Dead. In the Fall, we see the first signs of NFA merging with Going Down the Road Feeling Bad; a classic pairing of these two songs by the Dead. Our featured show this week from El Monte, CA - 12/27/70 is a perfect snapshot of the evolution of this song which went on to be one of the creed songs of the Dead and its' deadhead following. Love is Real - Not Fade Away.
