Alex Lloyd chases away the January blues with a dose of funk.

I DON'T know about you, but the January blues have already descended on my neck of the woods. Cold dark nights, New Year's resolutions demanding abstinence a nun would be proud of and nothing to look forward to for months.

Hibernating until spring may seem tempting but it is not the answer. A dose of funk is the thing to cheer you up.

There will be funk in spades tonight at the first Mr Green's Onion Club of 2005, which is hosting a Funk 45s event.

"We did a night like this at the beginning of December - it went down an absolute storm and people were dancing all night long," says organiser Stuart, aka Mr Green.

Rather than the usual live band, DJs are in charge of the tunes - but they have to be seven-inch funk and soul vinyl.

Residents Mr Green and Duke Dylanja will be joined on the decks by Jonnie Marsden and Stephen Brazil of the Utta Hipp night at the Soul Circus, Leeds.

The duo are not the only act queuing up to play at the club.

"I am booked up until July and I am still getting requests from bands who want to play," says Stuart.

This popularity is reflected in the quality of the line-ups. Next month, the Onion Club celebrates its first birthday with funk, Scottish style, courtesy of the Haggis Horns, who kicked things off last February.

Funk four-piece The New Mastersounds are on the bill for March, and Stuart says they will be previewing tracks from their forthcoming album.

Mr Green's Onion Club, City Screen Basement Bar, off Coney Street, York, 01904 541144. Tonight, 8pm-11pm, £5. www.mrgreensonionclub.co.uk for more details.

u WHEN you are out enjoying yourselves, spare a thought for those who have lost loved ones, homes and livelihoods in the Boxing Day tsunami tragedy.

The disaster has touched everyone and York nightspots have many fund raising activities planned, from a mega-raffle to charity gigs.

Please give your support this weekend.

Updated: 15:49 Thursday, January 06, 2005