STREET CARNAGE » NYC: AIR GUITAR CONTEST TONIGHT

Posted by

Gavin

• 06.03.08 02:24 pm

I’m going to be judging the Air Guitar contest at Bowery Ballroom tonight. The best thing about this competition is A- insulting the contestants who do a terrible job.

I’m going to be judging the Air Guitar contest at Bowery Ballroom tonight. The best thing about this competition is A- insulting the contestants who do a terrible job. It’s mind blowing how terrible some of these people are. They seriously strum it like your mom does and seem surprised when you point out how ridiculous they are. The second fun part of all this is B- how FURIOUS real guitar players get when you pretend to take the whole thing seriously.
Here’s a press release about it…

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE || JUNE 2, 2008

The 2008 United States Air Guitar Championships
Presented by TouchTunes

Tour Takes Flight Tomorrow, June 3rd In New York City With A SOLD OUT Bowery Ballroom. First Ever Brooklyn Regional Announced: July 9th, 2008 at Williamsburg Music Hall

‘Do you smell the Air in the air?’ – Bjorn Turoque

Winter is in the rear-view. Summer is nigh. We’ve Danced with the Stars and Idol’d American. Now it’s time to get kick-in-the-groin serious. As a wise air guitarist once boldly stated: “We’ve tested the waters. Now it’s time to cause them to boil.”

US Air Guitar and TouchTunes are proud to christen the 2008 US Air Guitar Championships Tour in New York City—where it all began. It was the site of the epic C-Diddy / Bjorn Turoque clash of the titans. It was the site of Hot Lixx Hulahan’s controversial (and death defying) upset in ’06, and William Ocean’s great redemption and coronation in ‘07. It is the birthplace of Gershwin, punk music, and the egg cream. This year, it is the launch pad for a 21-city blitz across America that will test mettle, fortitude… and your tolerance. Ultimately, the last person standing will go down as the next great name in the annals of America’s next great pastime. Albeit the still kind of early part.

Registration is still open to compete and tickets are still available at usairguitar.com

Don’t delay. It’s now.

THE 2008 US AIR GUITAR TOUR
Presented By TouchTunes

June 3 New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
June 4 Washington DC @ 9:30 Club
June 5 Boston, MA @ Middle East
June 6 Philadelphia, PA @ The Fillmore at TLA
June 8 Detroit, MI @ Magic Bus
June 9 Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop
June 10 Pittsburgh, PA @ Mr. Smalls Theatre
June 12 Chicago, IL @ Metro
June 13 Minneapolis, MN @ Varsity Theatre
June 14 DeMoines, IA @ House of Bricks
June 17 Aspen, CO @ Belly Up
June 18 Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theatre
June 20 Salt Lake City, UT @ Avalon Theatre
June 23 Seattle, WA @ Chop Suey
June 24 Portland, OR @ Dante’s
June 25 San Francisco, CA @ The Independent
June 26 Los Angeles, CA @ Troubadour
June 27 Alpine, CA @ Dream Catcher Showroom (Viejas Casino)
June 28 Las Vegas, NV @ Harrah’s
July (exact date TBA) Austin, TX
July 9 Brooklyn, NY @ Williamsburg Music Hall
August 6 San Francisco, CA @ Pacbell Park (SF Giants Game)

US AIR GUITAR NATIONAL FINALS:
August 8 San Francisco, CA @ Grand Ballroom (Another Planet Entertainment)

AIR GUITAR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS:
August 20 – 22 Oulu, Finland

US AIR GUITAR – THE COMPETITION

Each US Regional will each consist of two rounds. In Round 1, each competitor performs to a song of their own choosing. In Round 2, the top competitors from Round 1 perform to a surprise compulsory song. In each round, contestants perform for one minute of a song and are judged on a combination of technical merit, stage presence, and “airness.” All guitars must be invisible. In each city, the jury is a panel of independent judges that are hand picked by US Air Guitar. The results of the jury cannot be protested.

One winner from each city, and defending champ William Ocean will be brought to San Francisco in August 2008 to compete in the US Air Guitar Finals for the crown of US Air Guitar Champion. The 2008 US Champ will then be sent to Oulu, Finland later that month to represent the USA in the World Championships, where he or she will compete against national champions from all around the world.

Founded in 2003, US Air Guitar is the official Air Guitar Association of the United States and is responsible for operating the US Air Guitar Championships, official Regional events, and specialized championships. US Air Guitar is devoted to taking our nation’s unofficial pastime out of the bedroom and putting it up on the world stage. US Air Guitar is an official member of the World Air Guitar Association. Entering its sixth year in the US and its eleventh year world-wide, official national championships currently are held in the USA, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway and the United Arab Emirates, with more countries participating every year. The 2008 Air Guitar World Championships will take place this August 20 – 22 in Oulu, Finland.

Comments

Loomis says:

06.03.08 at 03:00 pm

I will never understand why this is such a huge industry. It’s a world wide phenomenon that is on every news network in the country. Why?
Lorin says:

06.03.08 at 09:41 pm

It’s actually the “Magic Bag” in Detroit.
There is no “Magic Bus”
Lorin says:

06.03.08 at 10:15 pm

Did they seriously refer to two air guitarist as TItans…. what the fuck is wrong with these people… Gav is right about me getting pissed off about this, the only thing worse is people who think that because they can play Guitar Hero they can play a real guitar… I’m sick of giving guitar lessons to frat tboys who want to learn Dave Matthews tunes because they played cheesy metal on Guitar Hero
gooey duck says:

06.04.08 at 12:47 am

love the dark shirt and wavy hair. Very simon cowellesque
Current says:

06.04.08 at 04:22 pm

Guitar Heroes:

http://current.com/items/77888881_air_guitar_golden_god