It was the homecoming all Scotland had been waiting for. When Susan Boyle took to the stage at Glasgow's SECC, the crowd rose as one man to their feet and cheered her to the echo before she had sung so much as a note.
All sorts were there to see her, from nine year olds to 90 year olds. In what was a far better show altogether than anyone really dared to hope, Susan was the stand-out star. No prizes for guessing which way Scotland voted a couple of Saturday's ago.
Wearing a grey shimmering gown similar to the one she had worn in the final, she emerged midway through the second half, looking composed and almsot serene. There was none of the playing to the cameras or the host. She acknowledged the ecstatic welcome and even motioned for the crowd to calm down so that she could sing.
As it was, she had to begin over the noise of the crowd. She began with Memories, the Andrew Lloyd-Webber song from Cats which she sang in the semi-final, and proved from the very first note that there was nothing faked or bogus about the talent show. If anything she sounded even better live.
Almost every note she hit was cheered again and again and the hysterical response continued when she launched into I Dreamed a Dream from Les Miserables, the song that has now become her signature.
She reacted calmly, waved to the crowd with an almost regal assurance and then she was gone. No amount of cheering could bring her back to join in with some of the other acts who combined in a slew of new routines.
The only disappointments for the crowd were that they were not allowed to dance by some heavy security and the non-appearance of George Sampson, the previous winner, who had been billed to appear. No explanation was given for his absence.
