Pat Byrne - “Smiling Eyes”

SXSW 2020 - OEB Score: 7; Popularity Index: 6

Pairs Well With…Damien Rice, Glen Hansard, Dermot Kennedy

Irish acoustic troubadour Pat Byrne released a live record in 2019, Live at Anderson Fair, a coffeeshop-vibed performance highlighting the soulful grit in Byrne’s vocal. Some blues and country tones are rooted in Pat Byrne’s folk-based sound, a pretty and affecting atmosphere even in its most minimal form. Classic Irish storytelling and emotive internal material both find places in Byrne’s songwriting, easily accessible for anyone just searching for the heart of song at SXSW. (Kevin McStravick)

2019 Review: Pat Byrne joins a talented group of Irish singer-songwriters in his emotive, acoustic frame, a troubadour style bleeding passion and heartbreak. He succeeds best in powerful ballad moments, letting his gritty, soaring voice take hold of the soul. Byrne actually won Ireland’s version of The Voice back in 2012, but his latest record Rituals feels like a rootsy new start (Byrne now resides in Austin) and rightly true to himself.