OUR NIGHT AT CLIVE’S

Much like the late, bespectacled book agent Irving Lazar’s Oscar-night soirees used to be at Spago, Clive’s annual festivities at the Beverly Hills Hotel have become the centerpiece of Grammy week—the place where the elite from the music and film worlds come to ogle one another.

The beleaguered music biz took a couple of nights off from its doldrums to pat itself on the back, although this year, Clive’s hot ticket was challenged by a number of other Grammy-eve get-togethers. Those included the four individual RAC benefit concerts featuring the Eagles, Dixie Chicks, Dwight Yoakam, Sheryl Crow, Beck, No Doubt, the Offspring and Weezer, among others, which apparently went off to great acclaim and, thankfully, very little politicking. MTV’s "Rock the Vote" at L.A.’s House of Blues, honored Dave Matthews and Destiny’s Child with performances by Nelly Furtado and the Goo Goo Dolls.

Still, it was Davis’ shindig that drew the most glittering assemblage, a who’s-who of industry icons like Ahmet Ertegun, Quincy Jones and toastmaster Joe Smith; current heavies like UMG’s Doug Morris (who introduced Davis from the stage) and Lyor Cohen, AOLTW’s Steve Case, Richard Parsons and Roger Ames (who responded with a hearty "No!" when Parsons asked him if he should submit to a HITS interview), along with Elektra’s Sylvia Rhone and WB’s Phil Quartararo; BMG’s Rolf Schmidt-Holtz and Bob Jamieson; MTV’s Tom Freston and Judy McGrath and VH1’s John Sykes (raving about newest baby CMT); L.A. Dodgers Prez Bob Daly with wife Carole Bayer Sager; David Foster and wife Linda; legal eagles Don Passman, Eric Greenspan, Fred Davis, Jay Cooper, Allen Grubman, John Branca and Elliot Groffman; and music-publishing magnates Les Bider, Marty Bandier, David Renzer, Steve Backer, Rick Shoemaker and Neil Portnow.

Leading the star power was, of course, Grammy darling Alicia Keys, Britney Spears, NSYNC, Courtney Love tugging along daughter Frances Bean (who looks eerily like her dad), Kid Rock and Pamela Anderson, P. Diddy, Jay-Z, new J Records signing Rod Stewart with daughter Kimberly, Beyonce Knowles, Carlos Santana, Ryan Adams, Adam Duritz, the O’Jays, Penny Marshall (in green glitter sneakers), Ian McKellen, Lionel Richie, Denise Rich, Jermaine Dupri, Chris Rock, Slash, Wesley Snipes, Jamie Foxx, Tim Curry, Robin Leach, Dick Clark, Evander Holyfield… Whoa. At one point, our head pan took in Barry Manilow, Burt Bacharach, Tony Bennett and Dr. Ruth in one take. It may not be rock & roll, but it beats channel surfing.

People were in a frisky mood. Love plopped herself on the lap of UMG President/COO Zach Horowitz, purring, "We really should get to know each other better," and proceeded to bend his ear for the next two hours. The RIAA’s Hilary Rosen and Melissa Etheridge manager Bill Leopold joked that they were off to the Eagles show at the Forum (they were kidding), but the AOLTW gang was back-stage in full force, rubbing elbows with their prized artists. MCA’s Jay Boberg accepted kudos for his controversial Wall Street Journal story from Gregg Alexander, the former New Radical who helped produce Carly Hennessy, the fledgling artist in the story.

Performers included Keys, Angie Stone, Busta Rhymes, Diana Krall and Bennett, Stevie Wonder, with a gala finale featuring Keys, Stone, Wonder, Justin Timberlake and Patti LaBelle.