First sighting: Lou Reed and rock poet Patti Smith. Forty years of rock and roll stared back at us from their non-surgically enhanced faces, and we felt hip just for knowing who they were. Our startled eyes followed them to the Power Table as they greeted – David Bowie and Iman! And sitting next to them – shut up!! Elvis Costello and Diana Krall! Emcee Stanley Tucci introduced REM lead singer Michael Stipe, who brought onstage the evening’s honoree, U2 lead guitarist The Edge. An Irishman of small stature but great charm, The Edge poked fun at realizing the laudatory introduction for “a great humanitarian” was for himself, not Bono.

But the evening’s true rock star -- the one the camera phones came out for and the crowds surged forward for -- was Bill Clinton. Despite looking older, grayer and much thinner than during his presidency, Clinton was relaxed and radiated star power. He shared a private laugh with David Bowie (what could they be talking about?), joked around with Jimmy Fallon (how do they know each other?), cooed over Elvis Costello’s new baby photos and delivered a graceful funny speech that managed to include a very personal anecdote about every rocker in the room. How does he do that?

Watching Bill Clinton sip his Diet Coke and Denis Leary nurse a mineral water didn’t diminish the thrill of realizing that the sexiest, most attractive and most powerful people in the room weren’t Josh Hartnett and Kate Boswell (who shyly approached Clinton to shake his hand). It wasn’t supermodels Helena Christensen or Christy Turlington. It was the Boomers: middle-aged rock stars, politicians, artists, and musicians wearing reading glasses and saying “no, thank you” to the bread basket. The Boomers: giving graceful speeches and elegant introductions to each other from the podium, doing good works and lending their names to meaningful causes.

And going home, like the sensible people they are, at 11:00 p.m. Because at a certain age we all need a good night’s sleep.

Yeah, we’ve still got it.

Lauren Letellier