Punch Brothers made their Celtic Connections festival debut on Friday at Glasgow's Old Fruitmarket in a performance the Scotsman rates four stars. Reviewer Jim Gilchrist says the setting was a less-than-perfect place to showcase the talents of Chris Thile and the band, but their undeniable skill shone through. Writes Gilchrist:

This formidably tight, string-driven ensemble displayed dazzling virtuosity, with Thile's quicksilver mandolin whirring alongside Noam Pikelny's similarly frenetic banjo and Gabe Witcher's richly-toned fiddle, while songs ... were smoothly harmonised, with Thile's high and lonesome vocals sliding into startling falsetto.

At the concert, Punch Brothers performed Thile's new four-movement piece, The Blind Leaving the Blind, which will appear on the group's Nonesuch debut, Punch, available next month. Gilchrist reports that the piece "drew a rousing reception" from the initially somewhat skeptical, won-over crowd.

To read the full concert review, visit thescotsman.com.