Connect 2008 Episode X: Young Knives and Santogold try to warm us up

Ally's already bemoaned today's conditions, so I'll refrain from any further mentions of 'rain', 'mud' or 'cesspool' - for the duration of this post anyway.

The first act I caught today was Young Knives, who bounded out on to the Oyster Stage dressed for the office in shirts, trousers and ties. But they belied their formal attire with their tight, punky, Britpop-evoking tunes and amusing banter, such as when singer Henry Dartnall claimed ownership for the Robbie Williams song Angels after a misguided request from the crowd ("We're the talent behind the fatboy") and his teasing of bassist House of Lords for his "sexy dancing".

Songs like Terra Firma raised the tempo, and an unlikely highlight arrived with the hopelessly inappropriate Hot Summer.

One act custom-made for the lesser-spotted 'hot summer' is surely Santogold. I reviewed their gig at the Liquid Room recently, so I'll just say that they were on equally brilliant form today. Although their delayed arrival meant they only played half a dozen songs, Santi White stole the show in a blue tin foil jumpsuit (see image on right as evidence) - her poor backing band consigned to grey shirts, black trousers and bow ties. She brought the bling to Connect, and raised the excitement, if not the temperature.