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Push to Fire: 2010 UK Air Guitar Championships
Before long a few lads and a lass walk on stage and air-play “No One Knows” by Queens of the Stone Age and perform with such enthusiasm and self-belief that it confirms preconceived notions that tonight is going to be really, really funny. The MC for the evening follows their demonstration and outlines the rules of the competition. My favourites are: #2. You must have a guitar and it must be made of air and therefore invisible. #5 Air roadies are allowed on stage up until the performance.
After the first round, six of the air guitarists were granted entry to the second round during which they each had to perform to “Maps” by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Unfortunately this isn’t a song with much obviously ‘visual’ guitar work so although it proved to be challenging for the performers, which is good, it was pretty dull for the audience, which is not so good. In the end a winner must be crowned and from the judges' scoring this year’s victor turned out to be the same man who won last year’s UK title: WildThing37. He will be flown to Finland in due course to compete in the World Air Guitar Championships which is a televised event. Luckily for him he’s shown plenty of confidence and he’s been there before so he should be well suited to the task.
All in all, it was a well-rounded well-intentioned evening out in London. There was enough of a show element to it all and there was enough variety in the performers to keep it interesting, and for the most part there was a good dose of self-aware comedy about the event. Those that took it a little too seriously only served to make it more amusing for the rest of us. No doubt the championships will be back on again next year. Anyone can enter, all are welcome, and it really has to be seen to be believed. | |||
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The Academy is a sizable venue the likes of which a band will only get to play if they can draw a few hundred people per show, and tonight its stage is being handed over to a few budding air guitarists to strut their stuff. Above the stage hangs a huge backdrop with a plectrum-shaped projector screen showing video footage of last year’s competition. The stage is also complete with four Marshall cabs, which tonight is kind of like Janet Jackson having a microphone on her stage. This evening is clearly all about visuals.
The competitors each then take their turn to come out on stage in the first round and perform a 60 second track on their own in order to impress a panel of three judges. It all seems to be turning into a comedic version of the X Factor. The performers are then judged on their outfit, their stage presence, their commitment, and their “technical ability” by a previous World Champion Air Guitarist, an experienced roadie, and a member of rock band INME. The outfits are mostly hilarious, complete with an all-gold spandex suit with a jock strap, various classic metal outfits, and even a full Super Mario costume. All performers showed a level of self-confidence (I mean, you’d have to wouldn’t you?) but some had more showmanship than others and clearly this was the trait that impressed the judges the most over the course of the evening.
