Joe Allen Band

Joe Allen, singer and Angharad Jenkins, violinist— were next to perform. A technical hitch stalled the pair’s entrance just long enough for them to break the silence with the opening bars of ‘Chase’ — a gut-wrenching tale of heartbreak so exquisite it will make your eyes widen and your heart race. Perhaps it was Joe Allen’s tortured vocals or the ferocity with which Jenkins unbelievable strings pushed and pulled until the finish that led the audience to gasp audibly at Chase’s dramatic climax. For many, it was nothing short of breathtaking'- Melanie Roberts - Guildford Evening News

'the gig room, such as it is, would fit snugly inside your broom cupboard, meaning the lucky punters find themselves pressed face to face with singer Joe Allen and violinist Angharad Jenkins, while the remainder of a large crowd listen through the wall!.. Together the duo take the concept of voice, fiddle and acoustic guitar to unbelievable reaches of rage, tension and release. It's difficult not to get swept out to sea in the tempest these two stars create in songs like 'At Gunpoint' and 'Do You Think That's Enough', while Angharad's bubbly banter with the audience towels us down after the rain, as Joe re-tunes his pummelled guitar between songs, and causes us to take them both to our hearts' - Nightshift Music Press

the audience were treated to a stunning 35 minute set from a young singer songwriter with an astounding voice.
His version of the Nina Simone classic ‘feeling good’ which bravely he walked on to the stage and performed largely acapella had the hairs on every part of the body standing to attention.
Having last week supported one a band who are one of NME’s new darlings and a big tip for 2006 – The Howling Bells - he is clearly one to watch and the remainder of the self penned set lived up to that excellent beginning. - Birmingham Newspaper

Support came from singer/songwriter Joe Allen. Originating from Worcestershire, troubadour Allen treated the crowd to a selection of Tom Mcrae-like acoustic-based ballads, accompanied by the gorgeous violin playing of Angharad Jenkins. His voice was incredible. The support was the best I've seen in a long time. - CD Times

Another great role model is R&B singer Estelle, whose single is No 1 and whose new album has had rave reviews. Leona Lewis, who is just 22, has taken America by storm, topping the US charts and captivating Oprah Winfrey. On 13 April, the finals of Live and Unsigned take place in London and, out of 10,000 entrants, 22-year-old Joe Allen is tipped for the top, with 46,000 fans on his MySpace site.

Janet Street Porter - The Independent on Sunday

'Tonight’s set opener, ‘Are You Awake?’, bleeds into the epic ‘Please Don’t Just Stare At Me’ and immediately I’m having to rein in the over-excited adjectives appearing on my note pad. Maybe its the way Joe batters his acoustic as he sings, as if Mike Scott and Damien Rice are both wrestling inside him, his tennis shoes pawing at the boards trying to lift him off the ground. Maybe it’s the way Angharad’s violin swoops and glides like seagulls round a Hibernian cliff face, effortlessly catching the thermals of his wonderful voice. ‘Gunpoint’ ratchets this up further as a loop-station turns it into Ed Alleyne Johnson dancing with Thom Yorke. To paraphrase the master; this is so fucking special - Nightshift Music Press (Oxford)