Bruce Springsteen superfan tracks down The Boss for a selfie ahead of first Irish gig

Stephen Coulter (55) – from Newtownabbey – has followed the veteran rocker around the world since he first saw him live at Slane in 1985.

Springsteen and The E Street Band have jetted into Belfast ahead of their planned concert at Boucher Road Playing Fields on Thursday night, a gig that will be Stephen’s 20th occasion seeing him live.

Coulter was able to draw on his previous experience to lay his plans after realising Springsteen usually stayed in the Culloden Hotel.

"I know they’ve stayed in the Culloden before any time they’ve come over to play in Belfast,” he said.

"I knew there would be a private plane coming out of Cardiff, so I kept an eye out for it and kept my fingers crossed.

"I saw the flight had landed at the City Airport, so I had a fair idea if they were coming to the Culloden, they’d be up within the hour.

"A member of the entourage was there in front and I was asked what I was looking for. I said I had a Born to Run album that I just want to get signed if possible.

"He was good enough to tell me to stand to the side and wait there until I was told it was okay. Within 10 or 15 minutes then the cavalcade came up to the front of the Culloden.

"Bruce was the first one off the bus and he came walking over to me, asked me what I had got for him.”

Stephen was well prepared, with an album in hand and his phone primed for a selfie, but The Boss took charge of the situation.

“I asked if I could get a photo with him and he said: "Sure, no problem”, but it was him that actually took the photograph. He actually took the phone off me and said he was a bit of a professional at doing these,” he said.

"I produced the album and a Sharpie and he signed it: ‘To Steve, best wishes, Bruce Springsteen’. The album cover is already away to get framed and the photos are ordered for printing.

"When he was taking the photographs he said: “We’re rocking and rolling now Steve.”

"I was the only one there and I think that’s why my luck was in. I think if there had been a crowd there, I imagine he’d have been whisked on in.

"It’s funny, you wait all those years to meet him and then it’s over in a flash.”

Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band are set to take to the stage in Belfast at 7.00pm on Thursday evening.