They鈥檙e the most fervent musicians no one has ever heard.
Performers at this year's Air Guitar World Championships in Finland tuned up Friday at the Olympics of air guitar for the 27th time, featuring dedicated competitors like "Shred Lasso鈥 and 鈥淕uitarantula.鈥
This year's challenge began Wednesday with Airientation in Oulu, a city nearly 540 kilometres (335 miles) north of Helsinki, and was headlined by a class open to veterans and new guitarists alike. The Dark Horses Qualifications followed on Thursday, culminating with the World Championships Final on Friday night with the crowning of Canada's Zachary 鈥淚chabod Fame鈥 Knowles as the 2024 Air Guitar World Champion.
It was a tough competition with former 2023 World Champion Nanami 鈥淪even Seas鈥 Nagura of Japan and 2022 winner Kirill 鈥淕uitarantula鈥 Blumenkrants of France in second and third place respectively.
Contestants are judged on the performance of two songs in two separate rounds, each lasting 60 seconds. While passion is a must, a real pick or even a finger-picking style is optional. Props and costumes are allowed 鈥 but backup bands and real instruments are forbidden.
This year鈥檚 audience favorite was Mathilde 鈥淐litoriff鈥 Dollat from France with an intense show made all the more dramatic by the heavy rain that drenched the performer and audience alike.
Nanami 鈥淪even Seas鈥 Nagura of Japan last year took home the title 鈥 her third, making her the winningest air guitarist in a competition that dates back to 1996. She's seeking a four-peat against nine dark horses as well as the national champions from the United States, Belgium, Canada, Germany, Ireland, Finland and France.
The jury had to consider a contestant's 鈥渙riginality, ability to be taken over by the music, stage presence, technical merit, artistic impression and airness鈥 in deciding to award points on a 4.0 to 6.0 scale, according to the competition鈥檚 online rulebook. The contestant with the highest total cumulative score won.
In addition to international camaraderie, the tournament also promotes inclusivity.
鈥淎ir guitar playing is not instrumental sports or arts, nor does it require any special venues or skills, so it is accessible to all,鈥 according to the championships' website. 鈥淎ir guitar can be grasped regardless of gender, age, ethnic background, sexual orientation and social status. Air guitar playing is equal.鈥
And don't fret 鈥 regardless of the winner, no one's air guitar gently weeps here. The contest organizers aim to promote world peace with their slogan, 鈥淢AKE AIR, NOT WAR.鈥
鈥淎ccording to the ideology of the competition, wars would end, climate change stop and all bad things disappear, if all the people in the world played the Air Guitar," according to their website. 鈥淭his is why the whole universe is invited to play the Air Guitar for world peace at the end of the competition.鈥
So pick up your air guitar and play.
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