Eighteen years and four days ago, I went to great lengths to go see R.E.M. at the Civic Arena in Pittsburgh. I don’t remember a ton about the show, partially because it was the second time I saw them on the “Green” tour, partially cause I probably drank a fair amount and partially because the story of getting there is more interesting.

The first trimester of my senior year of college had started. Somehow, we found out that the band was playing down in Pittsburgh. I don’t remember why it came down to this, but I was getting pretty low on my totem pole of friends to try and find people to drive me down to Pittsburgh for the show.

We were in a precarious situation. There was something that had to do with some people only wanting to go if other people went and not enough room in one car if those people went and the person with the second car not wanting to drive. All I remember is that I was bound and determined to get to this show, whatever it took.

So I drove the 90 or so minutes from Meadville, Pa., to Pittsburgh in the hatch of some girl’s Jeep Eagle with my head resting on the spare tire and all other sorts of crap in my way. I think I managed to crash on the way back, but only because I made people pay for my beers at the concert. And I made them pay for plenty.

The show was good, I’m sure, because it further fueled my obsession with the band. But I look back at the setlist for that Sept. 10, 1989, show and the only thing that stands out to me is that they played “Pretty Persuasion” and “1,000,000.”

I wish I remembered that instead of how horrible it felt using a tire as a pillow.