Bingo Hand Job (a.k.a. REM), London 1991

First of all...and this is kinda weird...I was doing some research on the web about this show when I found this: http://ticketstubs.metafilter.com/story.stub/72 I haven't been in touch with Sid since 1991! Sometimes, I love the internet - especially when you run into old friends.

I gave Michael Stipe a fork...but I'll get to that later.
I studied in London '90-'91. I heard about the show while I was in the photo lab at school. A couple of people had been at the Borderline the previous night and heard that REM was playing a secret gig. The plan was that I would go and try to get tickets and my friends would meet me there later.

I cut class, hopped the Tube, and headed to the Borderline. I got there at about 1:00 and met Sid and Scott, a couple of American guys who were also studying abroad. We sat outside all day...and at about 3:30 this limo pulled up. Out steps REM! I was speechless -- they were like, 5 feet away from me.

We didn't have tickets, and we didn't want to lose our spots in the queue, but we were getting hungry. There was a BBQ place a few doors down. Someone went and ordered food, and I remember that a waiter brought our order out to us. The coleslaw was good. They gave us actual utensils, and I kept two forks. Sid and Scott and I rubbed them for good luck, hoping that we'd get into the show. I took the hand-written sign that was posted as a souvenir in case we didn't get in (see image).

And as luck would have it, we were able to scalp tickets for 40 pounds each (that was about $80 American dollars), but we got in, and we were right up front. Sid's posting has some good memories, and I recall that they messed up on Radio Song. Definitely one of the best shows I've ever seen.

Afterward we met Michael Stipe and I gave him one of the forks (I kept its partner for a long time, but I've since lost it). I think I said something like, "this fork brought us good luck, so I hope it brings you good luck, too." He probably thought that we were a bit crazy.

I still have my Bingo Hand Job concert shirt -- it's yellowed with age, but I'll never part with it.