Backstage Pass

    It was as if the “Fashion Rocks” organizers were inspired by a constant loop of Tim Gunn uttering his trademark phrase, “Make it work.”
    After all, the Fashion Week kick-off event, celebrating its 5th anniversary, was faced with an organizational challenge – nearly all of music’s most fashionable (and most Conde-Nast-magazine friendly) stars weren’t releasing new music in time for the Radio City Music Hall event on Friday.
    So what did they do? Lots of tributes. There was a Motown tribute featuring Justin Timberlake admirably taking on Marvin Gaye’s “Got to Give It Up,” Kid Rock and Mary J. Blige roughing up The Temptations’ “(I Know) I’m Losing You” and Timberlake and Beyonce handling “Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing.”
    Beyonce, who will be playing Etta James in the upcoming movie “Cadillac Records,” did a loving tribute to the legend, who was in attendance, by knocking her classic “At Last” out of the park. And the Black Eyed Peas did a stellar tribute to the Rolling Stones by filtering the classic “Miss You” through Sly Stone and George Clinton funk to create a thrilling spectacle. Unfortunately, the Peas’ Fergie didn’t fare so well on a misguided tribute to punk, despite Deborah Harry’s considerable help on “Call Me.”
    Even those who performed their own music were paying tribute in some way. Mariah Carey unveiled the release of her disco-themed “That Chick” in true glammed-out fashion, with Chris Brown's acrobatic filled "Forever" moved along similar lines. Solange played up her retro-soul vibe on “I Decided,” as did Duffy with her smash “Mercy.” And Kid Rock’s surprise hit “All Summer Long” got an extra Southern-fried rock kick when Lynyrd Skynyrd appeared to expand the song’s riff an add a chorus of “Sweet Home Alabama.”
     Because so many of the stars of the “Just Stand Up” charity single were already on the bill, 13 of the song’s 14 female singers – including Beyonce, Blige, Carey, Rihanna, Ashanti and Miley Cyrus – performed the song as part of Friday night’s “Stand Up to Cancer” special and the “Fashion Rocks” special, set to air Tuesday at 9 p.m. on CBS.
    But it was the tribute to producer-songwriter Timbaland that seemed to fit Fashion Week best. He linked together performances by a wildly eclectic lineup of One Republic, Chris Cornell and The Pussycat Dolls and then walked onstage afterwards, like a designer, to share in the accolades. Somehow, that worked too.

PHOTO: Justin Timberlake and Beyonce take on "Ain't Nothing like the Real Thing" at Fashion Rocks. Photo by Jeff Christensen for Associated Press.

SETLIST: Rihanna - Vogue / Beyonce - At Last / Keith Urban - You Look Good in My Shirt / Stand Up to Cancer - Just Stand Up / Duffy - Mercy / Black Eyed Peas - Miss You / Solange - I Decided / Chris Brown - Cupid/Forever / Justin Timberlake - Got to Give It Up / Kid Rock & Mary J. Blige - (I Know) I'm Losing You / Beyonce & Timberlake - Ain't Nothing like The Real Thing / One Republic - Apologize / Chris Cornell - Scream / Pussycat Dolls - When I Grow Up / Fergie & Deborah Harry - Call Me / Mariah Carey - That Chick / Kid Rock & Lynyrd Skynyrd - All Summer Long/Sweet Home Alabama