During the final dinner of the conference, attendees were treated to a rousing performance by Neil Diamond tribute band SuperDiamond, and what is perhaps a first, a dance floor. A few hundred fundsters boogied and held hands as the band played, twice, a rousing rendition of "Sweet Caroline" in honor of the victims of the Boston Marathon. It is unknown whether the rhinestones worn by the lead singer had been approved by the real Neil Diamond.

While all the plebes hobnobbed at the hotel exhibition area, drinking well drinks and house wine, the fund company CEOs had a private dinner at the Italian Embassy.

It's uncertain whether they ate Italian, though.

One fundster executive mused that renting out the embassy is "one step towards Italy paying off their national debt."

During a conversation between Paul Schott Stevens and undersecretary of the treasury Mary John Miller, regarding the subject of money market fund reforms, Miller's microphone went dead.

After a few seconds of fussing, a stage assistant rushed out to bring a handheld microphone.

"What were we talking about again?" Miler asked.

"We were talking about money market reforms," Stevens said.

Applause. Applause. Laughter. Applause.

Goldman Sachs [profile] chairman and CEO Lloyd Blankfein spoke during the conference's luncheon on Thursday. He directed a jab at his rival atop J.P. Morgan [profile]:

"Don't tell Jamie [Dimon] I'm eating his lunch!" Blankfein quipped.

It was nice to see Vanguard [profile] founder Jack Bogle in attendance again, fresh off his guest star role on PBS' FrontLine. We hope to see him again at next year's ICI GMM Conference will be held at a Hilton. Sympathies to all aspiring Marriott point-earners.

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