Gigraphy Review - Egotist, Sacred Trinity Church, 27/09/24

By Josh Wilkinson

On Friday I was fortunate to be invited to cover Manchester locals Egotist at their headline show at Sacred Trinity Church - a suitable location for the religious experience I was set to be in for. When I first heard the name of the venue I thought it would be an underground venue with an edgy name attached, but no, Sacred Trinity Church is a gorgeous fully working church that made the perfect backdrop for the evening, helping to create a magic atmosphere before the first band had even graced the stage.

Funeralcare

First on the billing were Funeralcare, whose ethereal sound was a seamless fit for the night. The whole set had an artistic feel, with droning guitars and mystical vocals that made it difficult to look away. Describing their music as "The soundtrack to our quarter life crisis", seeing Funeralcare live feels like a personal experience that offers a window into the thoughts and feelings of the group, and with only a string of singles available so far, I'm looking forward to seeing what they create in the future. I fully expect Funeralcare to appear at more and more shows in Manchester's grassroots scene, so if you see them on a lineup just know you're in for a treat.

Six Second Talk Show

Next up were Six Second Talk Show, who took the night in a more indie direction and injected some good energy before the final act. The best way I can describe their sound is like a combination of the heyday of Britpop with a healthy dose of The White Stripes, and it's a combination that works spectacularly. Like Funeralcare, Six Second Talk Show are a newer group on the scene that still have a great identity to them, and feel like part of the next generation of up-and-coming Manchester talent. You'd never know that the band were added to the line-up last minute only a few days in advance with how tight and well-performed their set was, which has me looking forward to seeing what the group can do with more prep time or even at a show of their own. If there's anything more I could say, it's to keep an eye on these guys, as there's sure to be some exciting stuff in store.

Egotist

Now we come to the headliner, and to be honest, whatever I say about Egotist won't be able to accurately describe how impressed I really was. I could list off the various other artists that came to mind during their set, like Sigur Rós, The National, Of Monsters and Men, and even some of Depeche Mode's more dour tracks - but that would be doing the unique sound of Egotist a disservice. Quite frankly I'm amazed that the group haven't blown up already, and as their ethereal, emotional, and impactful sound echoed through the nave of the church I was completely enraptured by the performance.

Lead vocalist Joe's vocals seamlessly transitioned from the subtle to the powerful, making every track feel like a personal story, while backup vocalist and keys player Kirstie's haunting singing and excellent instrument work helped to paint the picture and further draw you into the performance. Drummer Mark, guitarist Alfie, and bassist Tom rounded out the ensemble to bring everything together, with each member having their moment to shine and demonstrating what they bring to the group. You could watch any member at any time and instantly see why they're so important to the overall sound, and that the uniqueness of Egotist could only work with this group of friends coming together and playing exactly the kind of music they want to play. There's just no other group out there that has the same style that Egotist does.

At the end of the day, it's extremely difficult to surmise what exactly it is that makes Egotist so special and what made this performance so memorable, there's simply too many factors at work with the ones I can pinpoint being indescribable. They're truly a band that needs to be experienced live to really understand why they deserve so much praise, and I sincerely hope that they get more opportunities to show people exactly that. While seeing Egotist in this venue was an incredible event, I can't wait to see them bring this level of performance to a larger stage and get the dues they deserve.