Thom Zimny’s new film of Bruce Springsteen: Video, Photo

About halfway through Road Diary, Thom Zimny’s new film of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band returning to action in 2023, Patti Scialfa steps forward to talk about the diagnosis of early-stage multiple myeloma she received in 2018.

Treatment for the rare form of blood cancer has compromised her immune system and kept her from appearing on stage on all but rare occasions.

And that’s where we’re at. Deep into an eighth decade, with more future behind than ahead. The girl you took to both shows at Hammersmith Odeon in 1975 is dead.

Your parents have gone, which — depending on your relationships — may be a loss that doesn’t fade. Adele Springsteen, who was in his eighties when she sashayed across a stage in her son’s arms to “Dancing in the Dark”, died this year at 94.

Your husband or wife — or you — have health issues. Your kids are suddenly what you once were. And priorities change. But some stuff doesn’t.

That stuff includes the feeling of joy that Springsteen can still bring you, and there’s a big helping of it in Zimny’s 90-minute documentary, which blends together contemporary and archive footage of rehearsals and performances with interviews: Springsteen himself, Steve Van Zandt and the other members of the band, from those now gone — the everlastingly missed Danny Federici and Clarence Clemons — to recent arrivals, such as the very engaging percussionist Anthony Almonte.

And we hear from others, from dedicated fans in Italy, Norway and the UK to his manager of almost 50 years, the erstwhile rock critic Jon Landau, who broadened his cultural horizons while guarding his interests.

Bruce turned 75 this year and he looked a little stiffer as he mounted the short flight of steps to the stage for a Q&A after an advance screening of the film in London last night. He spoke very touchingly about keeping a band together for so long.

It’s hard enough with just two guys, he said: Simon hates Garfunkel, Sam hates Dave, Hall hates Oates, Don hates Phil. Can you imagine having four friends at school and then spending every day for the rest of your life with those same guys? That takes some good decisions at critical moments.

The keystones of the 2023 shows were two newer songs: “Last Man Standing”, about the realisation that he is the now last survivor of his teenage band, the Castiles, and “I’ll See You in My Dreams”, the final solo encore, about George Theiss, that band’s other guitarist and singer, who died in 2018. Mortality is more than just the subtext of the film.

Later last night, on Graham Norton’s BBC1 chat show, he was an amiable presence alongside the actress Amy Adams, the singer Vanessa Williams and the comedian Bill Bailey: a very congenial lineup. When he and Bailey got into a discussion about Fender guitars, Norton might have said, “Come on, girls, let’s leave the boys to talk about their hobby.”

But then Bruce called Adams “my second-favourite redhead”, which was very sweet and turned this viewer’s thoughts back to Patti. And although we know the outline of that part of the story, the reality of it is theirs alone.

At the screening I was sitting next to Damien Morris, who writes for the Observer. Before the film started we were chatting about Springsteen gigs. He asked me which song that Bruce doesn’t normally play in concert would be the one I’d ask him for, if I had a request. That was easy.

“Thundercrack”, which he actually played on his return to Asbury Park in September. But later, when I thought about it some more, there were other answers. “Santa Ana” or “The Promise”. “Rendezvous”, of course. “Wreck on the Highway”. “Brilliant Disguise”. “One Step Up”. “Let’s Be Friends (Skin to Skin)”. There’s so much, isn’t there? All of it resting on the unshakeable twin pillars of “Born to Run” and “Thunder Road”. Such depth and richness.

Or there’s “Fire”. During the film Zimny suddenly cuts to Bruce and Patti on stage together somewhere or other last year, leaning into each other as they croon that song into a single microphone. “Romeo and Juliet, Samson and Delilah / Baby, you can bet, a love they couldn’t deny…” His favourite redhead.

During the Q&A, he was asked how long he saw himself continuing to make music. “Until the wheels fall off,” he said.