CLIVE'S PRE-GRAMMY GALA: HERE'S WHAT WE REMEMBER

The biz once again donned its formalwear and set the controls for "full schmooze" at Clive Davis’ annual Pre-Grammy Gala, Saturday night (2/3) at The Beverly Hilton. Clive, event amanuensis Doug Davis and team went all out, as ever.

After the traditional cocktail hour, during which label heads, agency machers, management poohbahs, super-producers and others mingled vigorously—and those so inclined grabbed a selfie with Nancy Pelosi or George Clinton—we were ushered to our tables for dinner and the night's festivities. (Our location, back in the corner, paired HITS idiots with actual journalists, one of whom swore I was the spitting image of Lyor. Gosh, thanks, kid.)

The proceedings got off to a lively start with a performance by Warner’s Green Day, introduced by superfan Serena Williams. Tom Hanks ambled out to deliver a tone poem about Clive’s stunning career. Then it was time for the first round of remarks by Clive himself, a recitation of high-profile attendees and their achievements (Nancy! Berry Gordy! Smokey Robinson! JAY-Z and Beyoncé! Cher! Mariah Carey! Meryl Streep! Cameron Crowe!) intoned in that singularly Clivey fashion, with a wave to the crowd from each subject. Recording Academy boss and co-host Harvey Mason Jr. then praised His Cliveness.

We can’t do all the BNA-heavy performances justice, especially as the martinis were working as hard as the acts onstage, but we’ll note a few: Mark Ronson and band performed “I’m Just Ken” from the Barbie ST, doing a gender-flip by enlisting country arrival Lainey Wilson on vocals. RCA’s Victoria Monét brought some classic R&B glamour. Mercury/Republic’s Noah Kahan knocked it out of the park with his two-song set. 10K/Capitol’s Ice Spice prowled the stage with confidence. Josh Groban’s appearance was highlighted by a duet with The War and Treaty’s Michael Trotter, Jr. on “Bridge Over Troubled Water” that brought the crowd to its feet. Jelly Roll turned in a fiery couple of numbers (joined by the aforementioned Wilson on one) and, rather endearingly, voiced his excitement about entering the Grammy/Clive party swim.

Preceding Sony Music Publishing topper Jon Platt’s Industry Icon speech, hip-hop giants Public Enemy (flexing their hits with aplomb) and soul legends The Isley Brothers (who killed with “Shout”) brought the energy level up. Introduced by Mason—who recalled begging him for a pub deal back in the day—Platt turned in heartfelt, unstudied remarks expressing gratitude for the people who made his extraordinary path possible, including Jheryl Busby, the late, great Clarence Avant and his competitor Jody Gerson; to the UMPG boss, who hired him at EMI, beginning his incredible run in publishing, he expressed “deep love and respect.”

Latin phenom Maluma performed next. Giants Gladys Knight, Dionne Warwick and Stevie Wonder, along with Andra Day and Keyshia Cole, shared the stage for the finale.

It was well past midnight by then, and time for all and sundry to mount their Ubers and grab a few winks ahead of Music’s Biggest Night. As for me, I noted that 916 people have now officially told me I look like Jeff Goldblum. But Lyor?

Pictured: Clive with Kahan, with Public Enemy (credit: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages), with Streep, Cher and Warner Co-Chair/COO Tom Corson, Green Day, Groban and Trotter, Jelly Roll, The Isleys and Platt