SIR LUCIAN'S SHOWCASE: BIGGEST BRUNCH EVER

Label, publishing, radio, tech and other luminaries were out in force for Sir Lucian Grainge’s annual pre-Grammy “Music Is Universal” UMG showcase at L.A.’s Ace Hotel on 2/11. After an intensive schmooze during the cocktail hour, the assembled heavies were hustled inside for an afternoon’s program that was heavy on music.

It would be easier to list the execs who weren't in attendance.

Following a performance by newly inked piano giant Lang Lang, who was joined by Lava/Republic’s Jessie J for a spirited “Purple Rain,” Sir Lucian took the stage to welcome the faithful. He saluted the artists in attendance, including Katy Perry, Barry Gibb, Big Sean, Lil Yachty and Rich Homie Quan, noting that “There are more young entrepreneurs in the UMG family than ever before.” Naturally, he said, it was “all about music, the blood that runs through our veins.”

An introductory video saluted the great execs throughout the labels’ history, including Berry Gordy, George Martin, Chris Blackwell and the leaders of the moment—the Lipman brothers, Steve Barnett, John Janick, Jody Gerson, Steve Bartels, David Massey, Mike Dungan and Daniel Glass, among others

Capitol megastar Perry, whose “Chained to the Rhythm” is blasting up the charts now, came out to receive a plaque from Grainge and Barnett celebrating her 10 years on the label. More on that here.

Grainge and Barnett flank Perry as they discuss a career reboot for Left Shark; Grainge shows Desiigner how he orders the Caesar at the Polo Lounge; Grainge, David Massey and Bishop Briggs discuss how she might be promoted to Cardinal one day.

The good-humored siren went into a little of her backstory, recalling her years working at A&R service Taxi and recalling how she’d been signed and dropped by several labels—“Lyor and Tim Devine, god bless ‘em,” she said, “where are they?”—before landing at Capitol, which she described as the one label that truly handed her the reins of her own career. Her shout-out included thanks to former Capitol chief Jason Flom.

Perry acknowledged the tense political climate and noted that she attempts to deliver “morsels of truth” via “3:30 pop songs.”

Performers included Capitol’s Niall Horan; Republic’s Jordan Smith (belting “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”); Interscope’s Machine Gun Kelly with guest Pia Mia; Hollywood’s Bea Miller, G.O.O.D./Def Jam chart-topper Big Sean; Motown’s BJ the Chicago Kid; Republic’s Amine; Glassnote’s Aurora; G.O.O.D./Def Jam’s Desiigner (pictured, and at one point joined by Quality Control/Capitol’s Lil Yachty); Concord’s The Record Company; Island/Teleport’s Bishop Briggs; and Eardruma/Interscope’s Rae Sremmurd.

Big Sean asks Sir Lucian whom he should call if he wants to get a guy knighted; Jordan Smith suggests all the chairs at the showcase should start by facing the back wall; UMe topper Bruce Resnikoff shows off his own mighty falsetto to Barry Gibb; Grainge and Machine Gun Kelly compare ink.

The event marked the announcement of the relaunch of PolyGram, which will be rolling out Mystify, a documentary on the late Michael Hutchence and INXS; attendees also got a tantalizing glimpse of a forthcoming Motown doc built on Berry Gordy’s private archive, which was teased by Gordy himself and current Motown head Ethiopia Habtemariam. Said Gordy: “Lucky things seem to happen in my fairytale life.”

Rae Sremmurd brought the festivities to a close with their smash “Black Beatles,” and then the weasel multitude swarmed to their Ubers and the next event in the Grammy marathon.