Legendary status is these days bestowed on far too many performers who simply don’t deserve the accolade.

In reality they are few and far between. The last to pass this way was Paul Simon, before that it was Leonard Cohen.

However, one who does warrant the moniker was standing before his adoring fans at the BIC, soaking up rapturous adulation after a wholly energetic show.

Frankie Valli, at 84 and on his farewell tour, was utterly superb, charismatic and funny throughout a hit-packed, near two-hour performance. And, boy can he still sing.

With the fantastic Four Seasons (although there were actually 13 of them), he rolled back the years to the delight of an adoring audience, running through career-defining songs all the way from from the early ’60s – when the band was the US equivalent of The Beatles.

It was a set list to treasure with virtually every song, be it a Valli or Four Seasons hit or one of the many other songs included, memorable to all ears in a Las Vegas-style show.

And wherever you stand on the jukebox musical Jersey Boys, there’s no doubt it brought Valli’s music to a whole new generation, as did The Sopranos.

Sure, it was nostalgic, sure there wasn’t anything cutting edge about the show, but legendary status allows an icon to dictate terms of engagement. And Valli engaged perfectly.

A film of the stage life of the former Francis Castelluccio of Newark, New Jersey, began proceedings.

Then the nine-piece band well marshalled by MD Robby Robinson and four boy band style singers (imagine a white version of The Pips but funnier) struck up Working My Way Back To You.

The diminutive Valli appeared, his voice somewhat drowned out at the start. Was he going to take a lesser role? Could he still hack it at 84? Would this be all filler and not much Valli?

We had no need to worry, he was soon on fine form, running through a few perhaps lesser known tunes such as Dawn, Opus 17 and Tell It To The Rain, quickly proving his mettle.

The night really exploded into life with I’ve Got You Under My Skin followed by Beggin’ and Silence Is Golden. And by the time we reached Fallen Angel, strategically-timed sax and guitar solos gave Valli the chance to slip away and shed his jacket.

Then he really started hitting the high notes as hit followed hit – My Eyes Adored You, Who Loves You, Spanish Harlem, My Girl, Stay, Can’t Take My Eyes Off You.

Personal favourites were The Night, Grease and December ’63.

This was a really slick, beautifully choreographed show, building to a climax with Sherry, Big Girls Don’t Cry, Walk Like A Man, Bye Bye Baby and the encore of Rag Doll and Let’s Hang On.

Valli touched hands with the front row, signed a few programmes and LP sleeves while still singing and was gone by 9.30pm, the house lights going up before the band had left the stage.

As they say, oh, what a night!