The last couple of times he has played in London have been solo and with an old-time covers band, but Bruce Springsteen knew what his fans really wanted for Christmas this year - a reunion with his rowdy cohorts the E Street Band and a celebratory rendition of Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town in novelty headgear.

During the encore the entire band donned Santa hats, with the Boss in a fur-rimmed cowboy number and guitarist Steven Van Zandt sporting delightful festive ear muffs over his trademark bandana.

It was the grin-inducing climax of an evening that was so focused on singalong crowd participation at one stage the house lights were left on full glare for 10 minutes and the bad dancing of thousands was plain to see.

Gallery: Bruce Springsteen in concert

Springsteen seems to have decided that his status as America's musical conscience has been so depressing throughout the tenure of George W Bush, he might as well have as much fun as possible while waiting impatiently for the next election.

Hence, since 2005's bleak Devils & Dust album, he has recorded good-time standards with his Seeger Sessions Band, and reconvened his original New Jersey foils, the E Street Band, to make an album for only the second time since Born In The USA in 1984.

He still guns for Bush on his latest album, Magic, with a depiction of a liar and trickster on the tense title track, and a clear image of how far wrong he feels his homeland has gone on the hopeful Long Walk Home.

But here he also performed new songs about lighter matters, such as the instantly catchy Girls In Their Summer Clothes.

The large band were in fine form, with fiery solo after solo from lead guitarist Nils Lofgren, lighter touches with violin from Soozie Tyrell, and dapper drummer Max Weinberg staying remarkably unflustered given the energy boiling around him.

Poor saxophonist Clarence Clemons was reduced mostly to limply tapping two tambourines together and wishing there were more sax solos in the new songs, but when he did get to do his thing, as on an epic Jungleland and fist-pumping classic Born To Run, he was formidable.

Other favourites including Dancing In The Dark and Because The Night generated more euphoria.

If Arsenal win the league in May and then get a greatest hits set from this band at their ground, they'll have booked the perfect victory party.

• Emirates Stadium, 30, 31 May, 08705 321 321