Chris Isaak said it during his Congress Centre performance a few years back. "This is our new single, ladies and gentleman," the crooner began. "But I'm afraid there's no video, so you won't know what to think."

It's a comment that tickles Adam Porterfield, whose band Adelaide comprises himself on guitar and autoharp, Ethan Rose on guitar, keyboards and electronics, David Casey on drums and Ryan Jeffery ... on 16 mm film-loops.

For Adelaide, marrying sound to image is crucial. Porterfield insists, however, that the thinking is up to the listener/viewer.

"We think a lot about that kind of stuff when we're putting together the images," Porterfield says.

'OLD FILM FOOTAGE'

"Ryan uses all this really beautiful 16 mm film, about half of which is archaic, old film footage, while the other half is stuff he's shot himself.

"And when it's all put together, it culminates in this really abstract narrative; so, there's nothing being fed to you outside of what you see. We leave you more than enough room to put things together the way you want to see them."

The band's extended post-rock instrumentals paint beautiful enough pictures on their own, as evidenced by the band's self-titled CD. But, Porterfield promises, those pictures are not complete without Jeffery's input.

"We had a hard time with releasing a record without the images," Porterfield says. "They're such an important part of the whole thing. You know, vocals are generally the easiest, most personable thing for a listener to walk into; we feel with Adelaide that the visuals are taking that place: They'll be the easiest thing for people to focus on while they're watching us."

The complete picture will eventually be realized through an enhanced CD or DVD, budget willing. But for now, the full Adelaide is available only through live performances such as tomorrow's, at Club SAW with local soundscape artists ...as the poets affirm.

"The idea definitely preceded the band," Porterfield says. "It took a long time for us to figure out how to make it work as we thought it should."

Country music has Nashville. Jazz has New Orleans. But when it comes to dance music, there is only one place worthy of a pilgrimage: Ibiza, a tiny island off the coast of Spain. When it's summertime in Ibiza, the living is easy.

Particularly if you're Pablo Ceballos and Chus L. Esteban, two Madrid natives who have become annual fixtures on the island.

"It's the centre of the world for dance music each summer," Ceballos confirms. "If you want to find the best parties under the sun, you have to be there."

MELT THE ICE

This Friday, Chus & Ceballos will be about as far from summertime in Ibiza as they dare venture --i.e., the dregs of wintertime in Ottawa.

But the founders of Stereo Productions and longtime partners in DJing and business are confident that their Latin-housey Iberican Sound will melt the ice in Capital City.

And just what is Iberican Sound, you ask? "It's a sound so groovy, so rhythmic and percussive that it is always filling the dance floor," Ceballos says of the sound born in the Iberican Peninsula between Spain and Portugal.

"It has an electronic touch, but with soul -- sometimes a bit housey, sometimes harder but never cold. It's hot. Caliente! This is the Stereo sound -- our sound."

awigney@yahoo.ca

WHEN AND WHERE:

Adelaide with ...as the Poets Affirm, if then do & Akisakila

When: Tomorrow

Where: Club SAW, 67 Nicholas St., 7 p.m., all-ages, $8.

Chus & Ceballos

When: Friday

Where: Surface Night Club, 128 York St., 10 p.m.