Pitchfork

Franz Ferdinand's Alex Kapranos is one of the world's coolest dudes, beloved by rock and hip-hop stars alike, with an awesome girlfriend, a position on just about every Best Dressed list, and even a side career as a food critic.

So what does such a suave, cosmopolitan dude do on a Saturday night? He hangs out with a bunch of hairy shirtless guys in a Ukranian Hall in Vancouver.

That's right: this past Saturday, December 2, Kapranos was a surprise guest at Mint Records' "Ridiculously Early Xmas Party", belting Franz's "Take Me Out" backed by members of the Cribs and Mint band the Evaporators.

It was all captured on glorious video, and uploaded to YouTube. Click on the magic box below and watch Evaporators frontman (and notorious multi-media rabble-rouser) Nardwuar the Human Serviette pull off a keyboard solo while crowd-surfing, then pull Kapranos and his Cribs buddies up on stage. Bask in the glory that is Kapranos' scruffy beard and moustache, as he hams it up singing his band's hit while standing next to an enormous bare-chested guy playing the bass. And finally, feel the suspense as Nardwuar leaps off of a keyboard stand and onto the outstretched hands of Kapranos and his stage-mates.

BONUS: HEAR A CLIP OF ALEX TALKING ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE WITH CBC RADIO 3 HOST GRANT LAWRENCE BY CLICKING ON THE DOWNLOAD AT THE BOTTOM OF THE STORY! (THANKS, CBC RADIO 3)

According to CBC Radio 3 (who were kind enough to tip us off about the event), "unlike most celebs who make an appearance, Kapranos-- who is in town producing the Cribs' latest album-- didn't bolt after the show, and didn't even hide out backstage. He came right back out into the crowd, watched shows by Carolyn Mark, the Awkward Stage, the Buttless Chaps and the Choir Practice, and chatted with fans."

CBC Radio 3 also revealed that Kapranos and the Cribs ended up contributing impromptu backing vocals for the new Immaculate Machine album, as Nardwuar took the visiting Brits to the studio where the Canadian band was recording.

While Alex Kapranos was busy hanging out with Canadians on Saturday night, Franz guitarist Nick McCarthy was performing with another band, God Bearing Sisters, at the opening of "St Mungo and Me", an art exhibit curated by McCarthy at Los Angeles' Lightbox Gallery. It features work by Manuela Gernedel, Celia Hempton, Shana Moulton, Jo Robertson, Niklas Schechinger, Hank Schmidt-in-der-Breek, Lucy Stein, and Anna Witt, and runs through January 29.