May be a relief for him as well, that he doesn't have to follow up an album with the obligatory support tour.
I know I'm in a minority, but I'm glad I didn't go to see him this time. I know clips don't do it justice, but to me he has increasingly become a recording artist more than a live performer. Yes, I'd love to have heard Once Upon a Time live, but most of the other tunes I've heard before. Just because they are jazzed up / brassed up isn't enough for me.