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In these days of mind-numbing disco music, it's heartening to know that somebody is keeping alive the spirit of rock and roll.
And that somebody is Elvis Costello who proved his immense talent once again at a crowded National Stadium on Saturday night.
It is just over two months since his last appearance in Dublin, during which he packed the Olympia Theatre, for three nights in a row.
Costello at his best is a sight to behold, whether he's with his usual backing band, The Attractions, or, as in this case, his most recent addition, The Confederates.
During the performance, which lasted over two and a half hours, his musical styles ranged from rhythm and blues to country and western and rock and roll.
And the audience fell completely under his spell, clapping and cheering when he wanted them to and at times becoming so hushed that you could have beard a pin drop.
For a star with such a low public profile — he rarely gives interviews — Costello commands a huge amount of respect among both his fans and fellow musicians.
Indeed, The Confederates is made up of a veritable who's who of rock music, including Elvis Presley's guitarist James Burton, drummer Jim Keltner who played with John Lennon and legendary bassist, Jerry Scheff.
Much of Costello's material on Saturday was taken from his latest albums, King of America and Blood & Chocolate, but he also took time out during a solo set to play some of his earlier hits including "Alison," "New Amsterdam" and "Shipbuilding."
By the end of the concert, the fans had accepted his invitation to dance, surging forward in front of the stage and into the aisles as he belted out some of the best live music you're ever likely to hear.
If the management of the National Stadium hadn't reminded him that he had run out of time by putting on the lights, he would have played on until well into the night. That was the kind of mood he was in.
But Costello took the hint graciously, telling the audience at just after 11 p.m. that if he didn't stop soon, they would probably pull the plug on him. And after two and a half hours, there were no complaints.
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