Hall of Fame concerts provide monster mashups

Aretha Franklin dishing up Frank Sinatra's signature "New York, New York" ... Lou Reed advising his backing band, Metallica, to make his Velvet Underground chestnut, "Sweet Jane," less "militaristic" ... guitar god Jeff Beck turning up his axe to 11 during his instrumental take on the Beatles' "A Day in the Life."
    
Those were just some of the musical shenanigans that unfolded during the 25th Anniversary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Concerts, which went down during two nights in October at Madison Square Garden in the New York City.
     
Many of the A-listers showed up and mashed up with each other: Bruce Springsteen backed Billy Joel on "Only the Good Die Young." U2 backed Mick Jagger on "Gimme Shelter." Stevie Wonder dueted with Smokey Robinson.
     
But the spectacle also featured demi-gods and unknown mortals: Patti Smith, Dion, Buddy Guy, Darlene Love (who decades ago sang lead on the Crystals' "He's a Rebel" and backup on Cheech and Chong's "Basketball Jones"), and many others.
 
There's little mystery about who will get prime camera time when HBO airs a special program documenting the event (hint: Mick, the Boss and Bono). But plenty of drama should be on tap when "The 25th Anniversary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Concert" (with a title deceptively hinting it was one big night of performance) airs on the cable channel at 8 p.m. Nov. 29.