The Dead’s renowned concert performances were always more definitive than their studio records, so this anthology of seven of their canonical live albums is an excellent guide for charting their evolution. It moves from the psychedelic glory of an artful, 1969-era "Dark Star" to a 1971 performance of the country-rock choogler "Me & My Uncle"; from a Europe ‘72 jam of "Truckin'" to the shimmering roots rock of 1990's Without a Net. In one fell swoop, this collection stitches together the saga of an American legend.