The New York metropolitan area was treated to some fierce (in both power and awesomeness to behold) thunderstorms on Saturday, and they happened to coincide with R.E.M.’s concert at Long Island’s Jones Beach Theater–a venue which, as you might deduce from the name, sits right on the Atlantic Ocean, and which also has a “rain or shine” policy for pretty much all of its shows. In keeping with the evening’s theme, Michael Stipe & Co. opened their set (which was delayed by about half an hour) with a one-two punch of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Have You Ever Seen The Rain” and their own “South Central Rain.” (What, no cover Live’s “Lightning Crashes” for the trifecta?) After the jump, footage of Modest Mouse playing through increasingly closing-in lightning, and R.E.M. pulling out a long-banished-from-the-set-list track for the soggy faithful.

Modest Mouse Lightning Approaching [YouTube]
R.E.M. Have You Ever Seen The Rain/South Central Rain [YouTube]
R.E.M. – It’s The End Of The World… [YouTube]