Foxy Rocker

The Underrated iPod

Posted on February 28, 2017 by Amanda Winchester

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Recently my mum got an iPod Classic, and I had the task of furnishing its contents. I say “task” like it’s a chore but, in fact, there’s nothing I relish more than stocking up a nice iPod, especially the 160gb iPod Classic. It’s just so deliciously roomy, and for an organised music connoisseur like, dare I say, myself, it’s such a great playground for a great selection of both audiobooks and music. I wish there was an actual job I could do, as an iPod filler. I literally spent hours carefully labelling songs and audiobooks, and even adding picture covers to everything because, heck, the feature is there, and you may as well use it! I’m also a bit obsessive about doing things like that completely properly, it would literally keep me awake at night if I didn’t go the whole nine yards.

I don’t believe this iPod is the ultimate music lover’s dream (after all, I am old enough to have experienced both the Walkman and portable CD players, and I thought they were the dream), but it certainly comes close. I love how it gives you complete freedom to get to the real nitty gritty of organising your music. When used properly, it’s not just a place to store music, but also a place to house and label a collection you are proud of, a collection that defines you. And this isn’t to say that don’t still love record players, cassette players, and CD players, I love them all, but the iPod is pretty damn marvellous, isn’t it?

The fact is, it’s very easy to take technology completely for granted, especially the generation that grew up with it, but I am constantly filled with wonder for it. I appreciate every inch of my iPod, and as a real audiophile, it’s extremely important that I can access my favourite songs in high quality at the touch of a button. My iPod is not only ready to play whatever music takes my fancy, it is also home to my treasured Sherlock Holmes audiobooks, which are my happy place! It’s more than just an iThing.

So if you’re lucky enough to own an iPod, just remember how hard that little device works, and how far we’ve come from cassette recorders and portable CD players!

Posted in Music | Tagged Audiophile, Foxy Rocker, iPod, Music, Music Lovers | Leave a comment

Trivium at The Roundhouse, London 17.01.2017

Posted on February 20, 2017 by Amanda Winchester

Trivium

I remember the very first time I listened to a Trivium song and how much it fascinated me and blew my mind. It was ridiculously fast and heavy, and it was on a Kerrang! CD, which I still have. The song was Pull Harder On The Strings Of Your Martyr, so it was back in 2005-ish when I first got into rock and metal.

This was my first visit to the Roundhouse as well as my first Trivium concert, and I stood in the large hall staring up at the domed ceiling in awe. I never take these experiences for granted, and I can guarantee that at some point in the evening I will probably be mentally thanking my lucky stars in amazement.

Supporting Trivium were Shvpes and Sikth. Shvpes were memorable, and the singer cut off his long hair for cancer right onstage, and also got in the mosh pit as he was singing! Someone heckled him as he was speaking onstage and he merrily told the heckler to fuck off, which was followed by cheers and laughter. I have to admit, fair play to him, as if it’s not tough enough for a band to have to warm up a cynical crowd that just want the main act to come onstage without someone hurling abuse at them on top of it all. I’d heard of Sikth on the That’s Not Metal podcast, and the cheers for them were super loud. Another band I’d missed out on seeing and glad I got to now see!

Before Trivium appeared they played Iron Maiden’s Run To The Hills and everyone in the audience had a massive singalong! I was in the second/ third row and had a great view of the lit up skulls onstage. And then Trivium came onstage and things got super squashy. I’ve been to a lot of gigs but I have never been at one where the crowd was quite this rowdy! Everyone was surging and squeezing the life out of everyone else, and it was all I could do to stay upright! Two or three times I had beer or something poured on me. But strangely, I still felt safe. In fact, there’s nowhere I feel safer than at a metal concert. I know if I fall someone will pick me up, and despite the over enthusiasm, nobody would intentionally hurt me. Rockers look after their own.

Matt Heafy looked amazing and his vocals were clean and strong. It was strange and exhilarating to see him in the flesh and so close up, he’s so familiar to me! I love the fact that he looked so damn happy so much of the time, flashing the audience a big toothy rockstar grin at regular intervals, and smiling as we all sang along. He sounded like a radio host as he spoke to us in his clear cut American accent and expressed gratitude for his fans. Corey Beaulieu slayed on lead guitar, his solos are insanely awesome! There’s a little video of one here on my Instagram if you’d like to check it out, it’s just face-meltingly glorious. Paolo pummelled the hell out of his bass guitar like his life depended on it. There has been a lot of talk about Trivium’s new drummer, but Alex Bent certainly didn’t disappoint, and despite having only played a handful of shows with the band, he offered a sparkling display of his Trivium’s material, being particularly impressive on the likes of Forsake Not The Dream and Rain.

I enjoyed the 90 minute set enormously, and it spanned Trivium’s impressive discography beautifully. Until The World Goes Cold and Strife sound ridiculously heavy played live, even more so than on the album, the audience was going berserk and people were crowd surfing and moshing all over the place. And of course, they finished with Pull Harder On The Strings Of Your Martyr at which point the crowd nipped off stage for a bit, and came back for a very welcome encore. Really, it’s insane how quickly these events fly by.

If I had to sum up this special evening in London in one word, it would be magnificent. Trivium really do deserve all the recognition they get, and as Matt said in one interview, the band are still young, and they have plenty of time to rise to the very highest level. I, for one, can’t wait to see what the future has in store!

Setlist:

The End Of Everything
Rain
Forsake Not The Dream
Down From The Sky
Rise Above The Tides
Entrance Of The Conflagration
The Deceived
Strife
Dying In Your Arms
Dusk Dismantled
Throes Of Perdition
Silence In The Snow
Pillar Of Serpents
A Gunshot To The Head Of Trepidation
Until The World Goes Cold
Pull Harder On The Strings Of Your Martyr
– Encore –
Capsizing The Sea
In Waves

Posted in Gig Reviews | Tagged Corey King Beaulieu, Matt Heafy, Trivium | Leave a comment

What’s Rockin’ February 2017

Posted on February 2, 2017 by Amanda Winchester

What's Rockin'

Happy Birthday to:

Axl Rose, Guns N’ Rose 6^th February 1962
Vince Neil, Mötley Crüe 8^th February 1961
Dave “Phoenix” Farrell, Linkin Park 8^th February 1977
Mike Shinoda, Linkin Park/ Fort Minor 11^th February 1977
Billie Joe Armstrong, Greenday 17^th February 1972
Tony Iommi, Black Sabbath 19^th February 1948
Randy Blythe, Lamb of God 21^st February 1971
Floor Jansen, Nightwish 21^st February 1981

Posted in What's Rockin' | Tagged 2017, February | Leave a comment

WHAT’S HOT and 5 Gigs I’m Psyched About This Year

Posted on January 23, 2017 by Amanda Winchester

Even though we are only in January (does anyone else still keep writing 2016 everywhere or just me?), this year is already shaping up to be pretty promising, music wise. I have a bunch of gigs lined up, but both my insatiable appetite for live music, as well as my job, keep me constantly on the lookout for more, and I can’t wait to check some of these bands out! This year is going to rock! So, without further adieu, let’s check out where I’ll be… and where you should be, too!

********************* WHAT’S HOT *********************

Blink 182

Arguably one of the most influential punk bands of our time and up there with the likes of Sum 41 and Greenday, the trio will be embarking on a huge UK tour this year and it promises to be mind-blowing! You can read more about it here.

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Evanescence

Whaaaaaaat? Darlings, it’s true, Amy Lee and the gang are back! So far, they have only announced one show in June at the Eventim Apollo in London. Are we to expect more? As a 90’s kid, I grew up with all the classics, Hoobastank, Linkin Park, and Evanescence, and having seen the aforementioned two, I’d love to cross Evanescence off my list!

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The Stone Roses

After an interesting advertising campaign involving, er, lemons (more details about this randomness here) The Stone Roses have announced a couple of Arena shows in Leeds. So if you’re fortunate enough to be in the area, go and catch a show!

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********************* WHERE YOU’LL FIND ME *********************

1. Apocalyptica at Royal Festival Hall 01.03.2017

If you have ANY doubt at all that classical instruments and music can be the epitome of ultra damn cool, go and see Finnish cello tamers, the mighty Apocalyptica! Bizarrely, I met these guys at a meet and greet in Lebanon years ago, and they were the chillest chaps you’ll ever meet. This show is Apocalyptica plays Metallica, which, being a big ‘Tallica girl myself, makes me feel all warm and fuzzy. Like, thank you God of Rock for forever blessing me with nice things!

2. All Time Low at Eventim Apollo 10.03.2017… oh, and Brixton Academy 31.03.2017

Okay, I have a confession to make. I bought a ticket to both of All Time Low’s London shows and I have no regrets! These guys make me giddy with happiness and I’m making up for lost time! And okay, technically that makes it an extra gig on the list but whatevs. Anyway, if the live DVDs are anything at all to go by, it’s going to be insane amazing! So if you’re a fellow Hustler, I’ll see you there! Get your tickets here but be fast because there are only a few left!

3. Parkway Drive O2 Academy Brixton 08.04.2017

This might be my heaviest gig ever. Just listening to Ire with headphone makes your face melt, so what on Earth is it going to be like live? Probably a whole other realm of heaviness. Whatever the case, I am SO EXCITED to be going to see these amazing Aussies, and maybe I should wear a helmet or something!

4. You Me At Six at Alexandra Palace 15.04.2017

I figured I should definitely go and see these guys because A) I’m getting more and more into them the more I listen to them (Room To Breathe is so chilling and freaking amazing that I’ve had it on repeat at least a dozen times) and B) With how much hype there is about them in the rock world right now, I’d be silly not to. And after such a lengthy hiatus, and time for the band to recoup, I’m pretty sure these shows will go off with a bang!

5. Bury Tomorrow at O2 Forum, London 22.04.2017

I discovered Bury Tomorrow last year and they were pretty much my first taste of metalcore. I saw them play a short but marvellously energetic, show at Oxford’s street’s HMV in January last year at the release of Earthbound, and since then, this ballsy British band has gone from strength to strength. So naturally I nabbed a ticket for their London show this year. This is a band that truly appreciates their fans and puts their heart and soul into everything they do and I can’t wait to see them again!

********** And who is on the FOXYROCKER WISHLIST for this year, you ask? **********

I would LOVE to see the Hives and Metallica this year. The Hives are rumoured to be the most energetic and fabulous live band of ALL TIME, so naturally, I want a piece of that! I am super bummed out that I missed that blink-it-and-you’ll-miss-it Metallica show last year, but it was on a “chance to win” basis and I just didn’t get lucky. And if My Chemical Romance made a comeback it would be super awesome, too. You know you wanna, chaps!

You can find lots of marvellous music related goodness at GetToTheFront including gig tickets, competitions, and music news.

Oh, and just a heads up, I’ll be posting video clips and photos of my gigging adventures on Instagram – just follow me @foxyrocker88 to stay up to date.

This is a sponsored post but all the love for the bands and their music is entirely mine.

Posted in Music | Tagged 2017, Apocalyptica, Blink 182, Evanescence, GetToTheFront, Gigs, Live, Music, Sponsored, The Stone Roses, You Me At Six | Leave a comment

What’s Rockin’ January 2017

Posted on January 1, 2017 by Amanda Winchester

What's Rockin'

Happy New Year! I’m sure we are all glad to kiss the absolute fiasco that was 2016 goodbye and welcome a fresh new year, and hopefully, this one will be much, much nicer. Cheers *pops open champagne bottle and sprays it absolutely everywhere*!

Happy Birthday To:

Brody Dalle, The Distillers 1^st January 1979
Doug Robb, Hoobastank 2^nd January 1975
Wil Francis, Aiden/ William Control 8^th January 1982
Rob Zombie12^th January 1965
Marko Hietala, Nightwish January 14^th 1966
Dave Grohl, Foo Fighters 14^th January 1969
Tairrie B, My Ruin 18^th January 1965
Jonathan Davis, Korn18^th January 1971
Rob Bourdon, Linkin Park 20^th January 1979
Matt Heafy, Trivium 26^th January 1986
Chris Hesse, Hoobastank 26^th January 1974

Posted in What's Rockin' | Tagged 2017, January, What's Rockin' | Leave a comment

Goodbye, Georgie xxx

Posted on December 31, 2016 by Amanda Winchester

Dear George,

You gave me Faith, you set my Soul Free. You were my Father Figure, you smiled at me like Jesus To A Child, and I would give you my heart every Christmas. Thank you for always being there, and for the endless hours of music, and for every single Moment With You. You are precious and I love you.

Goodbye, Georgie. See you in Heaven.

xxx

George Michael