But there were unifying themes, too: tents, social media, the "human microphone" - where the crowds chant back phrases uttered by a speaker, and shaky "jazz hands" to indicate agreement.

He and the legendary jazz pianist Herbie Hancock played a four hands version of a Maurice Ravel song, exchanging hugs afterward (see video of the performance here, and on Mr. Lang's website here).

Then there were the shoulders of Lamar Odom, who threw down a late dunk that rattled the room while throwing defensive elbows and hands that rattled the Jazz.