This is the website of Joey Arak.

I took the above photo with my phone while seated near the top of Jones Beach on Saturday night, because I wanted to mention something about how strange it is that at one time in my life I drove seven hours to see Modest Mouse — and another time I saw them on three consecutive nights in two different cities I wasn’t living in — and nowadays I can catch them in a 15,000 capacity venue and be indifferent to hearing some of the songs that I used to listen to over and over (and over and over).

But as it turns out, this photo is somewhat more significant than a lame comment on lost youth or whatever, because I took it right before the skies opened up and hammered Long Island’s amphitheater-on-the-bay with enough lightning and rain to make you look out for Steve Carrell floating by on a big ark. Then BOOM!, and a bolt hit the venue. Then everyone ran for cover. Then security told everyone to ditch the big lightning rod and go wait in their cars. Then we scurried through ankle-deep flash flood waters and made it to the car, and got the fuck out of there. Apparently, headliner R.E.M. did eventually go on that night (Newsday reported a two-hour total delay, and one injury), which I would find upsetting if not for the fact that I had the cheapest seat in the house. Still, it would’ve been fun to catch Stipe & Co.

The funniest thing about this weird night, or the weirdest thing about this funny night — more so than the groups of middle-aged tailgaters blasting R.E.M. in the parking lot — is the insane press release that Jones Beach released about the show. In it, they say the lightning came after Modest Mouse had finished their set (Say wha? They hadn’t even given the suburbanites “Float On” yet), that the delay came at an “appropriate time” because there was a 25-minute intermission planned anyway to set up R.E.M., that people were instructed to wait in the covered concourses (Um…no) and that there was no damage to the venue (OK, maybe that’s true, but sparks were flying after lightning hit). Dudes, we know you didn’t want to cancel the show and have to refund the tickets, but why the Politburo press release? For a great rant about this whole ordeal, read this.

Anyway, it was a night of bests and worsts. The best dollar I ever spent, on a poncho at Target on the way to the show, and the worst $5.50 I ever spent, on a cup of water just before it started raining and I had to abandon ship. If only the bolt would’ve hit when Modest Mouse was playing “Fire It Up,” then I really might have started believing in God.

Target, coming through in the clutch once again.

Looking out on an abandoned amphitheater while taking cover.