The Mad Dog, a band from Sassari, have made it through the X Factor 2026 Bootcamp and secured a place in the Last Call. Their performance of “Take Me Out” by Franz Ferdinand won over all the judges, giving the four musicians the chance to continue their bid to reach the show’s Live Shows.
Renato Marchisio, Davide Dore, Jacopo Sale and Luca Pintus returned to the stage, having already made it through the Auditions with four yeses. At that stage, they had performed “Brianstorm” by Arctic Monkeys; for the Bootcamp, they changed their set, choosing the Franz Ferdinand song. Once again, the verdict was unanimous: the four green cards secured the band’s place in the next stage.
The result keeps the Sassari group in the competition and brings them closer to the Live Shows, the stage that earns contestants a place in the live broadcasts. Their journey, from the first performance through the later rounds of selection, is also covered in our guide to the Bootcamp and Last Call. The four musicians’ first X Factor performance had received a standing ovation and marked their entry into the talent show.
The judges this season are Francesco Gabbani, Irama, Jake La Furia and Paola Iezzi. At the Bootcamp, they voted in favor after hearing the Franz Ferdinand track, securing Mad Dog’s place in the Last Call. This is another step forward for the band after the four yeses they received for “Brianstorm” at the X Factor Auditions.
The talent show season began on September 10. After the Bootcamp, the Last Call is the final selection before the Live Shows: Mad Dog’s next performance will therefore be decisive in determining whether they continue competing in the live rounds. The schedule announced for this season includes the following dates:
- Thursday, October 15: Last Call.
- Starting October 22: Live Shows begin.
- December 3: finale at the Unipol Forum in Assago.