John Mayer just wrapped an extensive summer solo tour with a performance in Sacramento on September 17th. The extensive international solo band trek marked Mayer’s second tour of the season following his early-summer run with Dead & Company.

The tour saw a humble Mayer honor both his past as a chart-topping pop star and his present as a relatively new member of the world of the Grateful Dead. From playing his album Platinum-selling, Grammy-winning 2006 album, Continuum, in full at two different shows to sneaking Dead covers into his setlists (including a rendition of “Ripple” on the anniversary of Jerry Garcia‘s death) to lightheartedly reflecting on his “tumultuous” relationship with “Your Body Is A Wonderland” in L.A., the Mayer fans saw on this tour seemed like a man evolved.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

San Diego, CA: the perfect kickoff to the the west coast run. Been waiting for these shows. (📷: @daniel)

A post shared by John Mayer 💎 (@johnmayer) on

Related: John Mayer Releases New Single, “Carry Me Away”, Debuts Live Rendition In Dallas [Watch]

On this tour, his first without a new album to support, Mayer focused his attention on his older material and his band as a whole, which featured David Ryan Harris, Isaiah Sharkey, Pino Palladino, Aaron Sterling, Aaron Draper, Tiffany Palmer, Carlos Ricketts, and Jamie Muhoberac. In a heartfelt post on his social media accounts, Mayer reflected on the tour and his change in mindset over the years, crediting his growth in perspective to his role as a member of Dead & Company. As Mayer explained,

This was the tour where all the pieces fell into place. The first tour without an album behind it, and a giant leap of faith that these songs could still matter after their time as chart contenders. You came, and you sang, and danced and wiped away tears and took inventory of what you had and what you’d lost (as well as what’s left to discover) and I was thinking the same things right along with you, every night. Dead and Company taught me the “we” of you and me. The “we” of a band. This most excellent, loving band. ‘We used to play for silver, now we play for life.’ We’re off to Europe to play some very exciting shows soon, but not before thinking back on what – and who – you’ve shown to me. Thank you. 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

This was the tour where all the pieces fell into place. The first tour without an album behind it, and a giant leap of faith that these songs could still matter after their time as chart contenders. You came, and you sang, and danced and wiped away tears and took inventory of what you had and what you’d lost, and all that’s left to discover, and I was thinking the same things right along with you, every night. Dead and Company taught me the “we” of you and me. The “we” of a band. This most excellent, loving band. “We used to play for silver, now we play for life.” We’re off to Europe to play some very exciting shows soon, but not before thinking back on what – and who – you’ve shown to me. Thank you.

A post shared by John Mayer 💎 (@johnmayer) on

This weekend, John Mayer will take part in Eric Clapton‘s Crossroads Guitar Festival in Dallas, TX. In October, Mayer and his band will head to Europe for another run of shows. For a full list of upcoming John Mayer tour dates, head to his website here.