The Grateful Dead got in the holiday spirit on Thursday, releasing a yule log video set to the band’s legendary 1972 run at the Lyceum Theatre in London, England. The crackling fire features audio from the band’s May 23rd–26th run at the U.K. venue.
Taken during the Dead’s inaugural overseas tour of Europe, May 23rd–26th, 1972 presents the cream of the 22-show tour. Nine tracks on the triple-live LP Europe ’72 culled from the tour were taken from the Lyceum run, including a rare cover of Hank Williams‘ “You Win Again”, a Ron “Pigpen” McKernan-sung “Hurts Me Too” that prominently showcases then-new keyboard player Keith Godchaux, the expansive “Morning Dew” that closes the album, and more.
Related: Listen To The Grateful Dead Celebrate Christmas On This Day In 1970
The 1972 European tour saw the Grateful Dead in a transitional period. It was the first tour to feature Keith and his wife Donna Jean Godchaux and would prove the last with founding keyboardist/frontman Pigpen, who died of a gastrointestinal hemorrhage on March 8th, 1973. In a cosmic foretelling of the short-lived dual keyboard approach of Vince Welnick and Bruce Hornsby in 1991–1992 following the death of Brent Mydland, the European shows hear Keith handling primary piano work while Pig supplements on harmonica, organ, percussion, and lead vocals.
Curl up around the yule log and hear selections from the May 23rd–26th, 1972 Grateful Dead run at the Lyceum Theatre in London.
Grateful Dead – Lyceum ’72 Yule Log