Alex Lloyd sets her sights on some SightSonic events.

THE latest underground clubbing craze reaches York next week as noWax joins up with SightSonic, the international digital arts festival, for a night of democratic MP3Jing.

The DIY night, which was launched in London last year and has already caught-on in Manchester, Cardiff and Tokyo, allows clubbers to turn up with their iPod or MP3 player, take a number and wait their turn to rock the dancefloor.

Anything goes, so long as its good, although having attended a noWax night in London over the summer, I can categorically state that Mariah Carey's Fantasy will not go down well (it wasn't my selection, I should hasten to add).

noWax will form part of Soiree at Impressions Gallery next Friday, along with a VJ set from Exceeda, who have produced films and done live audiovisual work for the likes of MTV, FilmFour and Glastonbury.

Xavier Perkins, Tom Guest and Patrycja Grimm take video clips, graphics, "spy" footage of the event and music samples ranging from classical to drum and bass, and mix them up live on the night.

The trio are at the cutting edge of creative media and are currently working on their debut album, scheduled for release early next year.

As if this wasn't enough stimulation for you, guests will be able to enjoy a number of digital installations from the Hylo exhibition by Andy Eccleston and Ron Wright, which combine image and sound to immerse the viewer into quiet requiems for the death of an orchestra, an instrument and for the voice of an opera.

The following night is Club Electronica at City Screen's Basement Bar, hosted by Leeds-based collective of artists, DJs, graphic and sound designers, filmmakers and curators, V3CTOR.

The event will feature a set from German producer Errorsmith, one of the more dancefloor-friendly electronica acts who creates digital improvisations of disco and R'n'B classics on self-built digital instruments. Homegrown Yorkshire talent, Mr 76IX, will also put in a rare live performance.

SightSonic begins on Thursday.

Soiree at Impressions Gallery, Castlegate, next Friday, 9pm-1am, tickets £10 from the National Centre for Early Music box office on 01904 658338.

Club Electronica at City Screen Basement Bar, off Coney Street, Saturday October 16, 10pm-1am, tickets £10 from City Screen, 01904 541144.

For more information, visit www.sightsonic.com.

IF it's something for the weekend you're after, why not try one of the following?

Reggae Explosion bids a fond farewell to City Screen's Basement Bar tonight after more than a year's worth of parties and some serious skanking. Its departure is to make way for a new Urban Music Night and organisers are promising not to say goodbye without first spinning some of the best Jamaican sounds of the last 50 years.

Doors open at 7.30pm and tickets are £4 (£3.50 concessions).

French Deathrock band Sleeping Children make a guest appearance at monthly Goth night Darklands tomorrow, 7pm-1am.

The band will be on stage at Certificate 18, in Gillygate, at 9pm and there will be the usual mix of Goth, industrial, darkwave, electro and punk from resident DJ Jared. Entry is £4.

Sunday sees a change of pace with the Salsa Social at The Gallery, Clifford Street, with the sunny sounds of Latin Jazz, Manhattan Mambo and Afro-Cuban rhythms coming courtesy of DJ Emma Moore of Salsology.

Beginners to experts are welcome and entry is £5 (£4 with NUS). The event runs from 6pm-10pm.

Updated: 15:48 Thursday, October 07, 2004