A new tradition started last year with the debut of the Grateful Dead Yule Log. This year’s yule log is live on YouTube featuring audio from a three-night November 1973 run at the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco streaming on an endless loop accompanied by film of wood burning in a fireplace.
The Grateful Dead selected their 1972 shows at London’s Lyceum Theatre for last year’s Yule Log. This time around Deadheads can hear Winterland 1973: The Complete Recordings, a 9-CD set containing every note played at the famed Bay Area venue November 9 – 11, 1973. Winterland 1973: The Complete Recordings was released on April Fools’ Day in 2008.
The band’s lineup at the time of the Winterland 1973 shows consisted of guitarists Jerry Garcia and Bob Weir, keyboardist Keith Godchaux, drummer Bill Kreutzmann, bassist Phil Lesh and vocalist Donna Godchaux.
Highlights from the first night include the first GD “To Lay Me Down” since 1970, an exploratory “Playing In The Band” and throbbing “Eyes Of The World.” The second night features a full “Weather Report Suite,” wild “Playin’” sequence enveloping “Uncle John’s Band” and “Morning Dew” and emotion-laden “Wharf Rat.” A “Dark Star” that bled into “Mind Left Body Jam” was among standout moments at the finale on December 11, 1973.
Stream the Grateful Dead Yule Log 2022 below:
Setlists (via JerryBase)
November 9, 1973
Set One: Promised Land, Brown Eyed Women, Me And Bobby McGee, They Love Each Other, Black Throated Wind, Don’t Ease Me In, Mexicali Blues, Row Jimmy, The Race Is On, China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider, Playing In The Band
Set Two: Here Comes Sunshine, Me And My Uncle, To Lay Me Down [1], Big River, Mississippi Half Step, Greatest Story Ever Told > Bertha, Weather Report Suite Prelude > Weather Report Suite Part 1 > Let It Grow > Eyes Of The World > China Doll, Around And Around, Goin’ Down The Road Feelin’ Bad > Johnny B. Goode
Encore: Uncle John’s Band [2]
- [1] Last known performance (by GD) 1970-09-20 (263 events ago)
- [2] Not present on any circulating source, and not included on the Winterland 1973: Complete Recordings release
November 10, 1973
Set One: Bertha, Jack Straw, Loser, Looks Like Rain, Deal, Mexicali Blues, Tennessee Jed, El Paso, Brokedown Palace, Beat It On Down The Line, Row Jimmy, Weather Report Suite Prelude > Weather Report Suite Part 1 > Let It Grow
Set Two: Playing In The Band [1] > Uncle John’s Band > Morning Dew > Uncle John’s Band > Playing In The Band, Big River, Stella Blue, Truckin’ > Wharf Rat > Sugar Magnolia
Encore: One More Saturday Night, Casey Jones
[1] Includes Tico Tico tuning before
November 11, 1973
Set One: Promised Land > Bertha > Greatest Story Ever Told, Sugaree, Black Throated Wind, To Lay Me Down, El Paso, Ramble On Rose, Me And Bobby McGee, China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider, Me And My Uncle, Loose Lucy, Weather Report Suite Prelude > Weather Report Suite Part 1 > Let It Grow
Set Two: Mississippi Half Step, Big River, Dark Star > Mind Left Body Jam > Eyes Of The World > China Doll, Sugar Magnolia
Encore: Uncle John’s Band, Johnny B. Goode > And We Bid You Good Night
