🔗 Share this article

Back when I was 10, I read about a story in my community gazette about the World Air Guitar Competition, which take place every year in my native city of Oulu, Finland. My family had participated at the pioneering contest starting from 1996 – my mother gave out flyers, dad managed the music. Ever since, domestic competitions have been organized all across the world, with the titleholders assembling in Oulu every summer.

Back then, I requested permission if I could enter. Initially they had doubts; the show was in a bar, and there would be a lot of adults. They felt it might be an intimidating atmosphere, but I was resolved.

In my youth, I was always performing air guitar, pretending to play to the most popular rock tunes with my invisible instrument. My parents were music fans – my father loved Springsteen and the Irish rock band. the band AC/DC was the initial group I stumbled upon myself. the lead guitarist, the frontman guitarist, was my idol.

As I took the stage, I played my set to the band's Whole Lotta Rosie. The crowd started yelling “Angus”, reminiscent of the concert version, and it dawned on me: so this is to be a guitar hero. I advanced to the last round, competing to a large audience in the public plaza, and I was hooked. I earned the moniker “Little Angus” that day.

Later I paused. I was a referee one year, and kicked off the show on another occasion, but I stayed out of the contest. I came back at 18, tested out several stage names, but fans continued using “Little Angus” so I embraced it and choose “The Angus” as my stage name. I’ve qualified for the last round annually from 2022 onward, and in 2023 I was the runner-up, so I was resolved to claim victory this year.

Our global network is like a close-knit group. The saying we live by is ‘Make air, not war’. It sounds silly, but it’s a genuine belief.

The contest is intense but joyful. Participants have 60 seconds to give everything – high-powered performance, perfect mime, stage magnetism – on an invisible guitar. Judges evaluate you on a scale from a specific numeric range. In the case of a tie, there’s an “air-off” between the last two competitors: a song plays and you improvise.

Training is crucial. I selected an Avenged Sevenfold song for my routine. I played it repeatedly for weeks. I practiced flexibility, trying to get my lower body loose enough to jump, my digits fast enough to imitate guitar parts and my spine prepared for those moves and leaps. By the time competition day dawned, I could sense the music in my soul.

When the show concluded, the points were announced, and I had drawn with the winner from Japan, a competitor known as Sudo-chan – it was occasion for an final showdown. We competed directly to Sweet Child o’ Mine by the rock group. As the music started, I felt at ease because it was familiar to me, and primarily I was so eager to have another go. When they announced I’d won, the square went wild.

My memory is blurry. I think I blacked out from surprise. Then all present started singing Neil Young’s Rockin’ in the Free World and lifted me on to their arms. A former champion – alias his stage name – a former champion and one of my closest friends, was hugging me. I wept. I was the inaugural from Finland air guitar global winner in 25 years. The previous Finnish champion, the former champion, was in attendance as well. He bestowed upon me the biggest hug and said it was “long overdue”.

The air guitar community is like a family. The phrase we live by is “Create music, not conflict”. It may seem humorous, but it’s a genuine belief. People come from globally, and everyone is positive and uplifting. As you prepare to compete, all participants offers an embrace. Then for a brief period you’re free to be free, humorous, the top performer in the world.

I’m also a percussionist and guitarist in a group with my family member called the band name, inspired by the sports figure, as we’re fans of UK rock and post-punk. I’ve been bartending for a short time, and I direct mini movies and music videos. The victory hasn’t affected my daily activities drastically but I’ve been doing a many interviews, and I wish it brings more innovative opportunities. Oulu will be a designated cultural center next year, so there are promising opportunities.

For now, I’m just appreciative: for the group, for the chance to perform, and for that budding enthusiast who picked up a newspaper and thought, “I want to do that.”