Live Report: The Scratch deliver their largest-ever headline show with power, presence and prowess

The Scratch are masters of live performance. With nearly a thousand gigs under their belt, the metal-trad group's infectious stage presence has been documented across the pages of Hot Press and beyond.

The band formed in 2016 as a derivative of a local heavy metal group Red Enemy, quickly earning prestige for their boisterous live displays.

The Covid-19 pandemic halted live shows, leaving them unable to tour their debut album Couldn’t Give a Rats. However, in the years since, The Scratch have built up a head of steam once again with over 150 live shows across the UK and Europe, and the release of two acclaimed albums. Touring their third studio album Pull Like a Dog, their Iveagh Gardens performance marks their largest headline yet.

As they take to the stage, the level of excitement seems fitting for a group dubbed the ‘best live band in Ireland’. A furious roar rips through the crowd and a crowd surfer has already emerged above the sea of bodies before a tune has even been played. Judging by the scores of fans who are wearing Scratch t-shirts from previous tours, this is expectation, rather than anticipation.

The Scratch at Iveagh Gardens on July 4th, 2026. Copyright Malone Graham/hotpress.com

The tension that has built up is unleashed with the violent throws of ‘Pullin Like Teeth’, a cajón-backed heavy-metal jig. Daniel Lang’s percussion cuts through an ambient drone and acoustic guitars.

Hats, pints and an Adidas Samba are among the items flung into the air. Those not brave enough for the ferocious thrashing of the moshpits jump up and down intensely. That, with the pounding bass drum, sends a harsh tremor through the sticky plastic mesh flooring.

The pandemonium continues as the acoustic guitar intro of ‘Flaker’ rings through the ground. The spoken-word lyrics reveal Daniel Lang's accent, rooting the genre-fusing track to the band's native Dublin. During an instrumental section, guitarist Conor Dockery leads a sweeping clap, akin to the Icelandic chant that did the rounds back in 2016. Its culmination is fittingly marked with yet another chaotic mosh pit.

‘Seanachaí’, backed by a pounding cajón, has the repetitive cadence of a religious chant or incantation. The fans are devout followers. From the Palestine balaclava-clad crowd surfer to the father-daughter duo standing just ahead of me who suffice with just clapping along.

The blustery wind that whips through the gardens gives prospective pint launchers an erratic trajectory to contend with. No one learns this more than a man clad in a Celtic top, who throws his pint high into the headwind, only for it to partially-land on himself and those around him.

The Scratch at Iveagh Gardens on July 4th, 2026. Copyright Malone Graham/hotpress.com

The heavier material from Pull Like a Dog provides a counterpoint to the mellow guitar intro of ‘Old Dog’. Swaying above the horizon of bodies now is just a sea of arms rather than pints, hats and people. Lang's vocals are rich and rugged, delivering the chorus with intent and power.

‘Another Round’ brings a return to the familiar chaos. Moshpits and crowd surfers stretch right back to the food stalls before the song even starts. As the rambunctious track ensues, there’s a real feeling of belated recognition with this performance. For a band that has their live performances right at the heart of their appeal, you feel that the last few years of uninterrupted touring have allowed them to finally enjoy some deserved momentum.

The few thousand packed into the Iveagh Gardens join together in song and dance as the encore ensues. With an unusual combination of traditional Irish music and heavy metal, The Scratch have already earned themselves a cult following. They are loud, chaotic and provocative, and with a sling of sold-out gigs to look forward to, the venues this band headline will probably only get bigger.