Hedfunked, at The Grapes, King Street, on Thursdays, 8pm-12.30am, free entry. Drinks promos: draught lager £1.60, double vodka and mixer £3

IF you're sick of trekking to Leeds to hear decent House music, the newest addition to York's fledging dance scene is heaven-sent.

Taking The Grapes along the same route that pubs and bars in other northern cities have trodden for years, Hedfunked is a laid-back pre-club warm-up for Thursday nights.

Up and running for little over a month, the night is already attracting a loyal following, drawn by the high quality music, late licence and great venue.

It is also the first regular House event in the city since the recent demise of Tech-house clubnight Prognosis, which ran at Toffs on Bank Holiday Sundays.

Found among the crowd each week are organisers Simon McEvoy and Simon Gillibrand, of Spinback DJs, a Leeds-based agency who provide DJs for venues in Leeds and supplied a number of venues in Ibiza last summer.

McEvoy, a University of York graduate and one-third of Prognosis, says they wanted to fill what they saw as a gap in the city's night scene.

"We felt York needed something like this," he says. "The night differs to Prognosis in the sense that the musical style is a bit different, but it still has the same friendly atmosphere.

"Where Prognosis is traditional 'club' music, a bit harder, Hedfunked is quite chilled, but there's still something for the more discerning clubber."

The emphasis is on uplifting, funky house, with a little bit of electro and breakbeat thrown in. Subliminal and Thomas Bangalter of Daft Punk's label, Roul, are typical of the sounds you are likely to hear, with plenty of American House vocals.

Along with Spinback's own DJs, hitting the decks will be Prognosis residents Jack Mullen and Rod Fry, members of the University of York DJ society, ReCreation, and McEvoy and Gillibrand themselves.

"We've got a good mix of up-and-coming talent with more established names," says McEvoy.

"The guys from Spinback are very experienced, and the bigger the night gets, the better it will be."

The only problem with a night at Hedfunked is trying to tear yourself away to go to the club.

More information available at www.prognosisdjs.com and www.recreation.org.uk

Updated: 10:33 Friday, November 28, 2003