Between official releases, box sets, and archivist David Lemieux‘s series “Dave’s Picks,” the Grateful Dead seem to be releasing more material now than they ever have. Why do they do it? Because we love to hear it! The Grateful Dead’s legacy is timeless, inspiring countless musicians and music fans alike.

Dave’s Picks 11 captures the Dead in their prime, at the end of 1972. The band had established themselves as a musical force, touring routinely over the past few years. Their musical catalog reached a creative pinnacle, melding folk, blues, jazz, and psychedelic influences into a live concert experience like none other. Sure, some of their best songs had yet to be written, but tracks like “Sugaree,” “The Other One,” “He’s Gone,” “Sugar Magnolia” (all of which appear on Dave’s Picks 11) proved that the Grateful Dead were serious about their music.

The first and only performance in Wichita, on November 17 1972, kicked off with a rocking “Promised Land,” settling in with a few calmer numbers (“Sugaree,” “Tennessee Jed,” “Black-Throated Wind”) before busting out an extended “Bird Song.” Of course, the hometown “Jack Straw” from Wichita made an appearance in the first set, much to the crowd’s delight. The remainder of the set comprised a number of classics, including “Box of Rain,” “Brown-Eyed Women” and a sublime “China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider.”

The real meat and potatoes of this show was the second set. From a 14-minute “He’s Gone,” we’ve hit the ground running, as the Dead work their way through an outstanding “Truckin’ > The Other One.” Real spacy jam, showcasing the band’s psychedelic prowess. The transcendent groove settles into a particularly touching “Brokedown Palace.” You can clearly hear the audience’s enthusiasm.

Rounding out the set with a “Sugar Magnolia,” “Uncle John’s Band,” and Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode,” the Dead prove time and time again that they are the masters of the live performance. Picking tunes that span the length of their career, the band was able to deliver a masterpiece performance.

Dave’s Picks 11 also contains bonus material from a concert just two days earlier, in Oklahoma City, including a wholly psychedelic, 30-minute version of “Playin’ In The Band,” a soothing “Wharf Rat,” and a “Not Fade Away > Goin’ Down The Road Feelin Bad > Not Fade Away” jam that showcases some of the band’s popular songs not performed in Wichita. All in all, this is a fantastic archival release.

Check out three of the songs from the album via Dead.net.

Disc 1
1. Promised Land [3:12]
2. Sugaree [7:01]
3. Me And My Uncle [3:11]
4. Tennessee Jed [7:47]
5. Black-Throated Wind [7:04]
6. Bird Song [11:01]
7. Jack Straw [5:00]
8. Box Of Rain [4:54]
9. Don’t Ease Me In [3:16]
10. Beat It On Down The Line [3:26]
11. Brown-Eyed Women [5:11]
12. Big River [4:39]
13. China Cat Sunflower> [7:10]
14. I Know You Rider [4:46]

Disc 2
1. Around And Around [3:55]
2. Casey Jones [6:33]
3. Cumberland Blues [6:31]
4. El Paso [4:17]
5. He’s Gone [14:12]
6. Truckin’> [9:57]
7. The Other One> [19:49]
8. Brokedown Palace [5:57]
9. Sugar Magnolia [8:24]

Disc 3
1. Uncle John’s Band [8:07]
2. Johnny B. Goode [3:57]
Live In Oklahoma City (11/15/72)
3. Playing In The Band [30:57]
4. Wharf Rat [10:38]
5. Not Fade Away> [7:47]
6. Goin’ Down The Road Feeling Bad> [7:12]
7. Not Fade Away