GRATEFUL DEAD Dick's Picks Vol.26 - Electric Theatre Chicago & Labor Temple Minneapolis (2-CD)

 Recorded just a few months after the shows that spawned Live Dead, and featuring a riveting version of the 'Dark Star'/'St. Stephen'/'The Eleven' medley that was the centerpiece of that album, this Dick's Picks is a worthy counterpoint to one of the greatest live albums in rock 'n' roll history. Add to that the fact that the band is working on material for the upcoming album 'Aoxomoxoa', including an incredible version of 'Mountains of the Moon', and with Pigpen's rendition of Jimmy Reed's 'I Know It's a Sin' a true Dead live rarity, and it's no wonder this album is almost universally regarded as a top-notch selection. 

Disc one presents excerpts from the Chicago show, beginning with four songs from Aoxomoxoa before diving into the epic "Cryptical Envelopment"/"The Other One" and ending with the first three songs from the Minneapolis show, which appears here in its entirety. Disc two contains the aforementioned medley of 'Dark Star'/'St. Stephen'/'The Eleven' and ends with the always rousing 'Morning Dew'.