by Jen Oliver, Online Project Lead, XPN

In October 1991, I took my best friend Kathleen to see Crowded House at the Tower Theater for her 17^th birthday. Before the show, we had dinner at a local Italian restaurant, and when the waiter asked us if we wanted anything to drink, I said, “Red wine?” I didn’t even know there were different types of red wine (aside from “box” and “bottle”). To my surprise, he served us both. We didn’t get drunk or anything, but it did set the course for a night of anything-can-happen. Crowded House was great. Some unknown singer-songwriter opened for them. When the show was over, Kathleen and I waited by the side door of the Tower, where we saw a tour bus parked, in the hopes that Neil Finn and company would make an exit, stage left. After about 45 minutes, the band came out. We were so excited to meet them and get their autographs. But Kathleen didn’t have anything for them to sign. One thing she did have? Her mom’s brand-new un-endorsed MasterCard. Kathleen still has that card, endorsed on the back by Neil Finn.