HE CAME, it poured, he conquered - Bruce Springsteen made a triumphal return to Manchester with a powerhouse performance which once again proved why he is the greatest live act on the planet.

Under leaden skies which drenched the thousands who had turned the pitch into a multi-coloured chess board of human ponchos Springsteen delivered one of his most impassioned and intense performances.

"It's raining in Manchester and we wouldn't have it any other way," he said as he walked on stage before launching into Atlantic City with the mighty E Street band.

The pace of the set was relentless with neither crowd nor band getting a breather for the first eight songs. Badlands, a guaranteed stadium pleaser which most artists would save for an encore, was the third number in and lifted proceedings to an even higher level as the band powered on.

Then came the surreal moment.

Spotting a man in the crowd dressed as Father Christmas Springsteen asked "is that a perverted attempt at a request?" before calling him up on stage, giving a shrug to the band and we were off - 70,000 people rocking along to Santa Claus is Coming to Town, in Manchester, in May!

There was a steely determination about Springteen's performance - his mantra has always been to never leave anything in the tank by the end of the show but this was was perhaps more focussed and more determined than usual. Maybe at 66 he realises that at some point, the three hour shows will no longer be possible and he's determined to make the most of it.

Certainly from a fan's perspective this was a night to savour.

Although billed as the River tour, Bruce announced at the end of the recent American leg that in Europe he would not be playing his 1980 album in its entirety, wisely realising that some of the more subtle tracks would not work too well in front of a stadium crowd.

Instead this was a show which defined what Bruce and the E Street band are all about

Without the horns and backing singers of the previous tour, it was also a chance for the E Street Band to take centre stage and do what they do best.

With a US tour behind them, the band is tighter than ever, taking changes in the set list in their stride

Max Weinberg on drums was a one-man thunder storm while Gary Tallent's subtle bass lines anchored much of the show. Charlie Giordano's keyboards added extra depth while 'Professor' Roy Bittan's piano remains at the heart of many of the songs. With Soozie Tyrell on violin and backing vocals, Jake Clemons admirably filling the Big Man's shoes and the impish Nils Lofgren performing his magic on guitar, the E Street Band has never sounded better.

Patti Scialfa was absent in Manchester which allowed Steve van Zandt more freedom and the opportunity to share the microphone with the Boss and launch into guitar solos of his own. Never has a man looked happier to be on stage.

Highlights are difficult to single out as there were so many. But for me, Point Blank, with a stunning extended piano intro was the pick of the night along with an impassioned version of Backstreets.

We had a few sign requests, no crowd surfing but we did get the girl to dance with the Boss on Dancing in the Dark and the child to sing on Waitin' on a Sunny Day.

But the real joy was just watching a rock and roll band in its prime revelling in what it does.

Setlist:

Atlantic City

Murder Incorporated

Badlands

The Ties That Bind

Sherry Darling

Two Hearts

No Surrender

Santa Claus is Coming to Town

Hungry Heart

Out In The Street

Darkness On The Edge Of Town

Crush On You

You Can Look

Here She Comes/I Wanna Marry You

The River

Point Blank

Johnny 99

Darlington County

Working on the Highway

The Promised Land

Waiting on A Sunny Day

The Rising

Because The Night

Thunder Road

Backstreets

Born To Run

Glory Days

Dancing In The Dark

10th Avenue Freeze Out

Shout

Bobby Jean

This Hard Land (solo acoustic)