THE lights of Hall Two went down, we could hear the sound of his trademark jingly jangly guitar – surely not an intro tape, I thought? – and then McGuinn arrived on stage, playing connected to a radio transmitter.

His voice was also instantly recognisable, sounding just like it did back in the Sixties when he made his name with the Byrds.

The evening started with Dylan’s My Back Pages followed by The Ballad of Easy Rider.

Over two sets he played a number of Dylan’s songs and shared memories of working with him and many other fellow musicians over a long career.

He alternated between his 12-string Rickenbacker electric guitar and an unusual, specially-made, seven-string acoustic guitar which allows him to obtain the acoustic 12-string sound and to bend notes, which he used to good effect when playing a couple of blues standards.

To finish he played Byrds hits: Mr Tambourine Man, Eight Miles High and Turn! Turn! Turn!

McGuinn has been performing for over 50 years, clearly loves playing and comes across as a happy musician who enjoys life – which is a refreshing change from self-indulgent guitar heroes and morose singer-songwriters.

Everyone went home happy.