We were blessed with 30 years of R.E.M., and sometimes that still doesn’t feel like enough. They dodged the first wind of breakup rumors in 1999 and stormed into the new millennium, but a decade later, in the fall of 2011, the forefathers of college and alternative rock ultimately called it quits.
The good news, however, is their music isn’t going anywhere, and even now, we’re finding new ways to listen to it. Late last year, Michael Stipe and co. released a massive box set, R.E.M. At The BBC, containing hours upon hours of live footage. And they, of course, remain one of the best dive-bar-to-arena success stories. Their rise from Athens, Ga., locals to college radio staples to multimillion dollar international sensations is about as classic as it gets. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007, only their first year of eligibility.
Whether you prefer the hits, like “Losing My Religion” and “Everybody Hurts,” or newer classics like “New Test Leper” and “Electrolite,” both from their 1996 album New Adventures in Hi-Fi, this 1998 concert has something for every R.E.M. fan. Now, without any further ado, watch R.E.M. play to an adoring California crowd on this day in 1998 below, by way of the Paste vault.
Read: The 20 Best R.E.M. Songs of All Time