Become the next Canadian Air Guitar Champion

Do you spontaneously rock out every time you hear your favourite songs come on the radio? Do you nail every note on your air guitar when the solo kicks in? Then we may have the perfect competition for you! The Air Guitar World Championships is the world’s largest international air guitar competition. 20 different countries compete to have their most talented air-guitarists bring home gold in the annual championship in Oulu, Northern Finland. Qualifying rounds are happening right now all across the globe and Canada is no exception! As of now, Canada has never had a champion bring home the gold… so the question is, will you be the first?

A Little History The first Air Guitar Championships had their beginnings in the early 1980s’ in parts of Sweden and the United States. As the years went on, the organizations began to grow and unify. In 1996, the Air Guitar World Championships began its partnership with Oulu Music Video Festival in Sweden. Though it began as a simple side attraction at the festival, today the world championship is a major draw in its own right, bringing in over 30,000 annual attendees. The Oulu Festival has become the home of the Air Guitar World Championships and each year the show is bigger than the last

The Rules

We’d like to say it’s all fun and games, but there are some ground rules for these competitions. First off, it’s just you, a sweet track and all the air you want. No (real)instruments, pedals, or fellow air-musicians. The only accessory you are allowed to have is your impressive attire, which is encouraged to be as interesting and original as possible. (Guitar picks are usually allowed, some variation depending on who you ask.)

The judging system is based heavily on the point scoring system from competitive figure skating where a panel of judges scores each performer on a scale of 4.0 to 6.0 based on certain criteria; Technical merit: how much the performance looks like the real playing, including accurate reproduction of all fretwork, chords, solos and technical moves. Mimesmanship: how convincingly the performer can mime their performance, and create the illusion of an invisible guitar, apart from the technical accuracy of the fretwork Stage presence: a charisma of rock star, the ability to rock, lack of stage fright and power to drive thousands of listeners; involves guitar showmanship and other emotional demonstrations. Airness: the most subjective criterion, as “presentation” in figure skating—how much the performance was an object of art by itself, not only a simulation of playing guitar. The rules are the rules, but the more fun you have with it the better you will do!

The Air Guitar Philosophy

“When you are holding an Air Guitar, you can’t be holding a gun.”, “Make Air, Not War”, and ”wars would end, climate change stop and all bad things disappear, if all the people in the world played the Air Guitar.” These are just a few of the sayings at the heart of the Air Guitar philosophy. Over the years the Air Guitar World Championships has evolved to adopt a pro-peace mindset which is reflected in their ties to various charitable organizations and affirmative ideologies.

The philosophy is simple but is followed passionately in every aspect of the organization.

Air Guitar Canada

The Canadian branch of the Air Guitar World Championships is hard at work looking for the next Canadian air guitar champion. Qualifying local championships are underway in cities all across the nation. Along with a plethora of prizes and street cred, the winners of these qualifiers will be sent to battle in the National Championship in Toronto (July 15th) for the chance to represent Canada in the Oulu Air Guitar World Championships!

Check out the full list of the local qualifier events! Keeping with the Air Guitar ideology, all proceeds of Air Guitar Canada goes towards Right to Play, a Canadian-based global non-for-profit organization that help children facing adversity worldwide through the power of sport and play. To learn more about Right to Play and how you can help visit their them here!

Hamilton Air Guitar Championships at This Ain’t Hollywood – July 5th

On Wednesday, July 5, history will be made in Hamilton with the first Air Guitar Hamilton Championships at This Ain’t Hollywood.

Air Guitar Canada needs your help, Hamilton. They need you to channel your inner rock stars and be the first to bring the gold home to Canada!

You can purchase your tickets and register for the competition here!

Whether you are there to participate, support a friend or just want to see some awesome people shred their made air-skills, you will not want to miss this inaugural event! To get you in the spirit check out 2016 Canadian Air Guitar World Finalist Blake ‘the Canadian Tuxedo’ Johnston rocking out of the Oulu Festival Stage;

For more information on Air Guitar Canada and how you can get involved visit them here!