They say that you should never go back. The Velvet Underground and their 20-minute reunion prove it. Or that Beatles' Free As A Bird fiasco. And, even though there was plenty of juice left in the E Street when Bruce prematurely disbanded them in 1989, conventional pop wisdom would suggest that they belong in the past, that to dredge them up again would be the lazy reaction of a man basking in box sets and greatest hits packages. How refreshing then that last night's concert was a tour de force which confirmed them as one of the most awesome combos in pop.

While the fist might not pound the air as hard as it used to, and the cries of "Brooce" are no longer so shrill, the spirit which made the E Street so special is undimmed after a decade. Truly, this eight-piece is an army of generals. They were happiest with the muscular material from their Darkness On The Edge Of Town heyday, but turned their hand to everything asked of them.

Springsteen's songs, although melodically simple (Born To Run is constructed from a mere six notes), are grenades which can be exploded at will, releasing stories and emotions as pungent as anything since Dylan. This is achieved without gimmicks, and while there is showmanship (like the guitars-together bonhomie and the milking of his Irish roots), there is also a complete lack of pomposity, which makes these honest, powerful songs what they are.

One of the most endearing things about Springsteen is his willingness to trawl his back catalogue for the best numbers. Not only does this highlight the quality of his output, it helps appreciate his seminal songs. Badlands is mixed with The Ghost Of Tom Joad, there is an astonishing reworking of Born In The USA and even a James Brown-style sermon, complete with towel around the shoulders.

Perhaps the highlight was the excellent version of The River, extended by bluesy sax intro and outro by Clarence Clemons, in which Bruce's lingering falsetto wrung every ounce of pathos from the song.