Scarlet Begonias kicks off the second half, leading to an intriguing jam into Touch Of Grey. The Touch sort of rolls into Samson, which has its moments, but, like the opening two tunes, does not quite measure up to the richness and luster of the first set. At the end, the boys actually seem to contemplate another tune. But, they leave the stage to the drummers who slowly develop their trip. And this was probably for the best as Billy and Mickey turn the set, allowing the rest of the band to find themselves again in Space. Phil leads the way out into Gimme Some Lovin’, which provides a fun little romp until it dissolves into The Wheel. And The Wheel blossoms into a sweet nugget. At the end, a few Phil strikes guide the band’s exploration further into The Other One, which coalesces into an estimable short version before the brilliant Morning Dew set capper with Jerry in full flower. The Sugar Mags encore, which is a tremendous frolicking rendition, puts a fun, radiant topper on the night.

An outside show in Houston at the tail end of summer might not have been the wisest choice. Triple digit temps and rain during the day made for an incredibly hot and humid atmosphere by showtime, and it may explain why the show is rather short. But your tickets got you into Six Flags Astroworld – the amphitheater was actually in the park – which was a huge bonus for Heads who made the trip. Despite the rain, the faithful still hit the roller coaster and rides, and those who attended report that the smell of weed and patchouli blanketed the park while the beer garden made a mint. While it never really cooled with nightfall, a huge full moon rose over the park during the second set adding to the atmosphere.