Dick’s Picks Vol. 11 was not only the first concert from 1972 to be released in the series, but also was the first full concert from that hallowed year ever to be released by the Dead.
At the time, it sparked some controversy—it seemed like (and still does!) every Deadhead had his or her favorite 1972 show—but as usual, compiler Dick Latvala came through with an (American) beauty, highlighted by one of the greatest “Dark Star” versions ever recorded, with a bonus of a one-time-only segue into “Cumberland Blues.”
This volume also delivers an interesting set list marked by quite a bit of material from the debut solo albums by Jerry Garcia (Garcia) and Bob Weir (Ace), both of which had come out earlier that year. We’ve seen quite a few folks claim this album actually tops Europe ’72, but maybe a better way to put it is to say it complements it, with a bunch of new material added to the repertoire and a new, post-Pigpen line-up playing at a very high level on this side of the pond. Out of print for years!