The Scratch

“Close your eyes and pull like a dog.” Sounds absurd, but it perfectly summarizes what The Scratch stands for. Just go, don't think too much and go all out! The four-piece Dublin band is coming to present their new album Pull Like A Dog on December 2 in Club Wintercircus. What started as a viral video on the Rory Gallagher International Festival, grew into one of the most idiosyncratic bands of the moment. Their previous record Mind Yourself made it to the top of the charts and earned them nominations, airplay and international shows, as well as a passage in the Netflix series House of Guinness. Live, The Scratch is in a class of its own, as in very apart. Their mix of folk and metal, acoustic and electric, sometimes turns an eye. Original? It certainly is. Ambiance? Undoubtedly. Whether they play a hall flat or pack a festival meadow, it remains straightforward, own and certainly without frills. ••••• DUG consists of Jonny Pickett and Lorkin O’Reilly and has firmly established itself as one of the most unique and recognizable forces in the folk revival, partly thanks to singles like ‘The Big Sundown’ and ‘Jubilee’ (nominated for two Grammys). For those who know them: DUG is an unashamedly modern band, although their music stems from the musical traditions of both the great American folk troubadours and the older statesmen of Irish folk. In 2025 they released their debut album Have At It!