corto.alto

Celtic Connections

Virtuoso country-classical chamber music led by mandolinist Chris Thile
Where the high lonesome sound of Appalachia meets the meticulous precision of a string quartet, you’ll find Punch Brothers. Often described as “American country-classical chamber music,” this quintet has spent nearly two decades redefining the boundaries of acoustic music.

Led by the incomparable mandolinist Chris Thile, the band currently comprises guitarist Chris Eldrigde, bassist Paul Kowert, banjoist Noam Pikelny, and violinist Brittany Haas. Punch Brothers has garmered critical acclaim, including a Grammy for Best Folk Album for All Ashore (2018). The Times praised their work as "brilliant, audacious, original and above all, entertaining."

Punch Brothers and Support

Glasgow Royal Concert Hall

Grammy-nominated indie-folk featuring exquisite twin-guitar flatpicking and seamless harmonies.
Four-time Grammy nominees The Milk Carton Kids are masters of the "magnified moment." Since emerging in 2011, Kenneth Pattengale and Joey Ryan have built a career on the deceptively simple power of two guitars and two voices locked in perfect, haunting unison. While their earlier work was defined by a strict minimalism, their seventh album, Lost Cause Lover Fool, sees the duo expanding their palette with roots-leaning arrangements that remain rooted in their signature "twin-instrument" sound. 

The Milk Carton Kids and Vera Sola

Pavilion Theatre, Glasgow

González returns to touring with new material that expands his unique sound.
José González is widely regarded as one of the most captivating live performers in contemporary music. On stage, he transforms a single voice and guitar into a vast and immersive concert experience. His performances move seamlessly between hushed intimacy and a powerful, richly textured sound, where intricate rhythms and dynamic shifts fill the room and hold audiences in complete focus. Even when performing solo, he creates a sense of scale and depth that makes each show feel expansive, intense and emotionally resonant. He has consistently sold out concert halls and theatres around the world, building a global reputation as a must. 

José González and Support

Buchanan Galleries

Mercury Prize nominee brings blistering, genre-defying jazz and club-culture fusion.
Fresh from a triumphant 2025, crowned by an AIM ‘Breakthrough Artist’ win and a sold-out KOKO headline, corto.alto is a formidable force in global music. The moniker of Glasgow-based multi-instrumentalist and producer Liam Shortall, the project is a masterclass in subverting expectations.

corto.alto and Special Guests