And so the man once referred to (forty years ago) as ‘the future of Rock and roll’ returned to Cardiff.

And what a return it was. Even by the standards of his legendary epic performances this was something special.

Three and a half hours never passed as quickly as The Boss and the expanded E Streeters (with horns and backing singers) propelled the audience through a range of emotions and had 30,000 exultant fans screaming for more. It all began and ended in high spirits with This little light of mine. This was followed by Long walk home, an extended Adam raised a Cain and Prove it all night, delivered with an unmistakeable intensity.

There was much audience interaction as Springsteen plucked banners requesting particular songs from the audience and obliged with one of his earliest hits, Spirit in the Night . A seven year old boy joined him on stage, as did Eric Burdon in a guest cameo appearance. This all contrasted with a heartfelt sequence from the album Wrecking Ball .

A series of eight encores that included Badlands , Born to run, Dancing in the Dark and (as a tribute to his late great sidekick Clarence Clemons ) Tenth Avenue Freezeout. This all culminated in an effervescent cover of Shout delivered by surely the most energetic sixty -three year old on the planet and then, a masterstroke, as the solitary figure appeared one more time for a solo acoustic Thunder Road. Sheer joy.