A few rather significant pauses before AL turned up the mic and then in the first minute of the backsell, don'tcha think? Was AL a little verklempt? I would not be surprised.
Regrettably I missed this set. But I do remember when George Harrison passed there was a 10@10 dedicated to him. Dave didn't seem all that worked up about that incident... it seemed almost like an obligatory dedication.
I remember that set well. It was one of the first that I recorded digitally, and I still try to listen to it at the end of November when the anniversary of George's passing comes around. I agree that Dave mostly kept his composure during the intro and backsell, but I don't think it was at all obligatory; I think Dave was truly moved to do it--he loved the Beatles. For one thing, it aired the day after George died, so he likely had to throw it together pretty quickly. Also, Dave didn't do too many "in memoriam" sets. Yes, he'd drop a song by a recently deceased artist into a set the next time the appropriate year came around (which was often sooner than later), but the only ones I remember getting a whole set on the occasion of their death were George Harrison, Bo Diddley, and Maurice Gibb (and Bo's set was more like today's--songs that used the Bo Diddley beat rather than all songs by him).
As to the question about who deserves a 10@10 tribute, mostly I agree w/ Mike: Chuck Berry and maybe Little Richard. Personally I'd love to hear an Everly Brothers set but that could be a stretch.