Summer has come, 2016 nostalgia is still rampant and San Francisco’s Bill Graham Civic Auditorium is swarming with overgrown Directioners, ex-Larry conspiracists and the parents they dragged along.

Louis Tomlinson may not be the cultural powerhouse that is former One Direction bandmate Harry Styles, but he is, nonetheless, one of the most memorable heartthrobs of the 2010s British Invasion, and his solo career has garnered acclaim from both critics and die-hard fans.

The crowd, carrying overpriced drinks and bags reading “How did we get merch?” — a play on the tour’s namesake album, How Did I Get Here? — rolled in gradually over the course of the two openers’ sets.

Welsh indie group The Royston Club performed for a relatively sparse audience but made the most of their time with bold instrumentals and gut-wrenching vocals, reminiscent of Goo Goo Dolls or The 1975. They played their swoon-worthy hit, “Cariad,” and were met with as much enthusiasm as a rather empty theater could muster.

From Provo, Utah, alt-pop girl band The Aces was met with a warmer reception — the woman next to me screamed, “Let’s go, lesbians!” as the group did mic checks. The bandmates succeeded in energizing the audience with call-and-response and an infectious stage presence. Between ballads such as “Waiting for You” and summery pop tracks such as “Daydream,” the lead singer took time to wish the audience a happy Pride and muse about going from Utah garages to Tomlinson’s tour.

Tomlinson himself made an explosive entrance with his new album’s catchiest single, “Lemonade,” as trippy yellow imagery flashed behind him. Yellow confetti burst and balloons were passed around, bringing the audience to life.

Tomlinson’s stage presence is hard to encapsulate — though he spent the majority of his time planted behind the microphone without obvious showmanship or much interaction with the audience, he still held a palpable command over the stage and crowd. It’s the kind of ease and professionalism that comes with experience, the kind that he’s been honing since his start with One Direction at 18 years old.

After a few more upbeat tracks from How Did I Get Here?, Tomlinson began playing moodier tracks from his sophomore album, Faith in the Future. The fast-paced, angsty “Out of My System” may not be the best rock song ever written, but Tomlinson’s performance was enhanced by fiery drums and the crowd’s audible enthusiasm.

In brief interactions with the audience, Tomlinson oozed effortless charisma. It’s a blink-and-you’ll-miss-him kind of attitude — from briefly mentioning the World Cup to coolly introducing one of his biggest hits simply by saying, “Feelin’ good today! This is ‘Walls,’” and even, at one point, nearly causing a riot just by smirking. He is a man of few words, which isn’t so bad since his Doncaster accent is barely decipherable.

Tomlinson slowed things down with emotional songs such as “Saturdays,” during which the audience voluntarily began swaying with their phone flashlights. His lyrics are hardly artful, but they’re relatable and lovably sappy in a way that reminds you why he was the lead songwriter for 1D.

Then, the lights went out. Tomlinson and his band congregated center stage. The stadium held its breath in suspense. A guitar lead soared. Tomlinson began singing “Night Changes,” and the audience had never been more thrilled. Every single person in the crowd knew every single lyric, and there was a beautiful unity.

Tomlinson, no longer one of five teenage boys on stage, has aged gracefully with his audience. Like in the song, the proverbial night has changed, but the people have stayed the same — only older and wiser.

After a standing ovation, Tomlinson went back to his solo work with “Lazy,” “Sunflowers” and “The Observer” — the last of which was upbeat until he abruptly left the crowd with a “Good night!” and beelined offstage along with the band. The crowd was left confused and disappointed until he came back and finished off the show with “Palaces,” a fan favorite.

Being in the best-selling band of the 2010s made Louis Tomlinson an icon, but going solo made him an artist. Tomlinson’s performance proved that he continues to evolve thematically and musically with time. Sometimes, advancing your craft doesn’t just mean moving up, but moving forward — for Louis Tomlinson, there’s more than One Direction.