There was something electric in the air at Stubb's Thursday night, and it wasn't the sepia-tinged lightning to the East. Broken Social Scene was in Austin. "So what?", you shrug, "Austin gets a lot of terrific bands. What's so special about BSS?" Well, in founding member Kevin Drew's fawning overtures to the crowd, he said that BSS absolutely lurve Austin. It's their favorite place to play. In the world. And you know what? Like a love-struck high-schooler getting hit on by some bearded college Casanova at her first kegger, we believed him.

Do Make Say Think began their set to a rather modest crowd, playing a smattering of songs from their four albums. Conjuring the smirking ghosts of fellow Canadians Godspeed, You Black Emperor!, the songs deliberately meandered into epic crescendos creating a pleasing segue into BSS's set. It also helps that both bands share, like, half their members.

Alone, Drew took the stage to Daft Punk's "One More Time" and a suddenly massive audience. After lovin' on Austin a bit more he began introducing each current member of the band one by one, with each member running out onto stage and excitedly grabbing their instrument. With the entire crew assembled, the band plunged into "KC Accidental". Among other things, Drew had promised us that BSS would be "playing like this was their last show ever." Damned if it sure didn't seem like it, with guitarist Andrew Whiteman playing as though he was going to be shot by a firing squad after the set was over. As the house sound was calibrated to this level of intensity and urgency, everything clicked, and we were off.

Next, was "7/4 (Shoreline)" with vocals from the oddly coiffed Lisa Lobsinger. Frankly, it put the original album cut - still great on its own terms - to shame, getting louder and bolder as more musicians crowded onto stage, culminating with a giant brass section bellowing out the final theme like a cadre of angels at the gate to indie-rock heaven. "Cause = Time" made us wet our pants, so we had to go to the bathroom to change. 'Nuff Said.

Lobsinger directed the audience to clap correctly and in time to "Stars and Sons", as the band sported two bassists. It was "Anthems For A Seventeen Year-Old Girl", though, that really showcased BSS's knack for throwing a party. Drew introduced Stars' Amy Millan, who had taken herself away from a tour seemingly to play this one show just for us, and the crowd flipped. Singing the lead along with Lobsinger, Millan reminded us why we fell in love with You Forgot It In People, melting everyone's black, concert-worn hearts all over again.

The family reunion continued into the night with "Ibi Dreams of Pavement (A Better Day)" from their 2005 eponymous LP. We just couldn't quite get over how much fun everyone on stage seemed to be having, or how easily and intuitively they had courted (manipulated?) us. Exhibit A: Whitehead's guitar interjecting a verse from "Deep In the Heart Of Texas" in the middle of "Almost Crimes". Of course, everyone went "Woot!". Exhibit B: having two members of Explosions In The Sky come out to play on "Lovers Spit", after a chillaxing version of "Looks Just Like A Sun". We couldn't quite discern what the Explosions kids added to the songs. Were those guitars even plugged in? Maybe they won a contest.

The night ended with the Drew buttering us up again, telling us that BSS was "living the dream, and you're making it happen", without a hint of disingenuousness or entitlement a la Julia Roberts at the Oscars. We were happy for him, still glowing that he and the band had pulled out all the stops in what was easily the best show we've seen all year. Now, Stubb's was shutting the outside stage down, and there was only time for one more. They closed with what felt like a 15-minute version of "It's All Gonna Break", Amy Millan crowd-surfed (!), and everyone in green room came out on stage to make as much noise as possible. Afterwards, both the band and city parted ways satisfied and sweaty, all promises kept.