Groove Tube with Cian O’Connell

Irish trad has been a formidable source of innovation in recent years, due in large parts to the wealth of young songwriting talent taking inspiration from different elements of the style. One such act is Dublin four-piece The Scratch, whose emergence from the ruins of former metal outfit Red Enemy informed much of their initial sound and stage presence when they began performing together in 2017.

It would be an oversimplification to label the band a perfect blend of trad and metal, but it is clear that in a wave of authentic music full of Irishness and national identity (see Lankum, the Mary Wallopers and the Gloaming), The Scratch are perfectly at home.

The Scratch play Galway’s Black Box on Saturday, November 26, as part of an extensive winter UK & Ireland tour. It spells the end of a tireless schedule in 2022 – the group have come out of the pandemic with a burning desire to perform live.

Their efforts have solidified The Scratch’s reputation as one of Ireland’s most buzzy live acts. It is more than deserved given the release of their debut full-length record, Pull Your Jocks Up, in March of 2020 was forced to content with the heaviest of covid restrictions.

“We can’t wait,” guitarist Conor Dockery says of the upcoming tour.

“It’s definitely our favourite thing to do and there’s just been a lot of other work happening in the last couple of months with writing and recording. To be able to go in now and just play a load of gigs is gonna be great.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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