Photo Galleries in this article: The Scratch, DUG
The sold-out Mississippi Studios this past Saturday welcomed all the way from Ireland The Scratch back to Portland, Oregon. The Scratch left a lasting memory for those of us who were lucky enough to see them open for The Dropkick Murphys back in 2024. Not coming alone, the folk-punk duo of DUG provided a nice opening performance. Many of us are returning to get another fill of the lads from Ireland, in the always intimate Mississippi Studios.
DUG provided a toned-down sound to open things up, telling a story of how they started as buskers in Dublin. They would start incorporating more sound to fill out their guitars, add a pedal to provide a bass drum and a tambourine attached to their boots. DUG described The Scratch as having them out on tour “was like Jigglypuff opening for Metallica”, while DUG was a different sound from the more metal-focused headliners, they still incorporated their own take on traditional Irish music. DUG brought along plenty of energy that never once left the audience bored.
DUG
Opening their set with “Pullin’ Teeth,” the first song off their newest album Pull Like a Dog, the band wasted no time getting the crowd going. Heavy bass drums and harmonized chants mixed with traditional Irish folk sounds, giving the songs a mix of pub singalong energy and heavy metal aggression. Like classic Irish folk songs, many of the tracks told stories, just with more modern themes. “Flaker,” for example, was about the kind of friend who always says they’ll help you, then never gets back to you.
Partway through the night, vocalist Conor Dockery performed a solo cover of Christy Moore’s “Joxer Goes to Stuttgart,” a song about Ireland defeating England in the Euro ’88 football tournament. He dedicated the performance to his late father, making it one of the more emotional moments of the set.
The rest of the band came back out for “Pull Your Jocks Up,” which slowly built up before the entire crowd joined in chanting, “Pull Your Jocks Up, You Are Your Own Secret Weapon.” The audience stayed engaged all night, singing along whenever possible.
At times, the band sounded like street buskers playing outside a pub in Dublin, before the heavy metal side of the band kicked back in. In the middle of the set, the crowd even split in two for a wall of death inside the small venue.
The night flew by as the band left the stage to chants of “Another Round! Another Round!” They returned for a three-song encore featuring “Old Dog,” a cover of Motörhead’s “Ace of Spades,” and ending the night with “Another Round.”
The Scratch
The Scratch is currently touring the United States through the end of May with dates scheduled into 2027 through Europe and the United Kingdom. This was my second time seeing The Scratch and I was just as impressed with the band as I was when I saw them open for Dropkick Murphys. The band’s current release, “Pull Like a Dog” is available now on all major streaming platforms. A full list of upcoming dates can be found on the bands website. The boys in The Scratch will leave you wanting more in a good way. Hopefully, they will make it back to the States before too long.
