The Scratch Shatter the Savoy, Cork

Acoustic Thrash, The Scratch Shatter Savoy, Cork! Unleashing a hurricane of acoustic fury, Dublin’s The Scratch transformed Cork’s Savoy on Friday night into a swirling pit of pure, unadulterated energy. On stage for the first of two show stint and armed with little more than acoustic guitars and a battered cajón, the four-piece redefined what it means to put on a heavy show. It was acoustic thrash at its finest, fast, relentless, and impossible to stand still for.

Opening duties fell to DUG, the Dublin-based folk outfit whose reputation for foot-stomping acoustic energy precedes them. Stripping back traditional arrangements into something far rawer and more primal.

Wielding banjo, acoustic guitars, and tight, soaring vocal harmonies, DUG managed to pull the arriving crowd right to the front within two songs. They navigate a lane somewhere between classic Appalachian bluegrass and deep-rooted Irish folk balladry, driving rhythm sections forward using pure acoustic force. By the time they closed out their set, the Savoy floor was warm, well-hydrated, and thoroughly primed for the chaos to follow.

When The Scratch took the stage, the energy in the room shifted instantly. Famous for blending heavy metal urgency, thrash tempos, and traditional Irish acoustic instrumentation, the four-piece delivered a set that felt more like a rebel war cry for the "Rebel County".

From the opening notes, Daniel "Lango" Lang set the pace from his cajón, battering the box with enough fury to match any heavy metal drum kit while anchoring the band’s frantic, tight rhythm section. Up front, acoustic guitars were played with acoustic-shredding velocity. Tracks like Another Round and Get In the Back ignited immediate, swirling mosh pits—a sight that never gets less surreal given every sound on stage originates from acoustic gear.

What sets The Scratch apart live is their ability to pivot between pure, pit-inducing mayhem and genuinely beautiful multi-part vocal harmonies. The crowd bellowed back every lyric, turning the Savoy’s high ceilings into a massive echo chamber.

The Savoy provided a fittingly historic backdrop for the night. The spacious layout gave the moshers plenty of room to go hard in the center, while offering great elevated sightlines near the bars for those who preferred to take in the acoustic wizardry with a pint in hand without getting collateral bruises. The sound mix was crisp—a tough feat for a band balancing high-gain acoustic pickups and thunderous percussion in a hall of that size.

The pairing of DUG and The Scratch was a triumph of Irish acoustic music pushed to its absolute limits. DUG provided the heart and high-spirited folk storytelling, while The Scratch delivered the sheer, unadulterated adrenaline. If you left without being a sweat soaked mess, without having a hoarse voice and sore feet, you simply weren't doing it right!