I Became the Imaginary Guitar Global Winner
Back when I was 10, I came across a feature in my community gazette about the World Air Guitar Competition, that happens every year in my native city of Oulu, Finland. My family had helped out at the very first contest starting from 1996 – mom distributed flyers, my dad managed the music. From that point, country-level contests have been staged globally, with the champions gathering in Oulu every summer.
Initially, I asked my parents if I could compete. At first they were hesitant; the show was in a bar, and there would be an older crowd. They felt it might be an daunting atmosphere, but I was resolved.
As a kid, I was always “playing” air guitar, pretending to play to the biggest rock tunes with my invisible instrument. Mom and Dad were enthusiasts – my dad loved Bruce Springsteen and U2. AC/DC was the first band I stumbled upon myself. the guitarist, the frontman guitarist, was my hero.
When I stepped on stage, I performed my act to AC/DC’s that classic track. The crowd started chanting “Angus”, just like the album track, and it dawned on me: this must be to be a guitar hero. I made it to the finals, competing to a large audience in the public plaza, and I was captivated. I earned the moniker “Little Angus” that day.
Later I paused. I was a judge one year, and started the show on another occasion, but I didn’t compete. I went back at 18, tried a few different stage names, but everyone still referred to me as “Little Angus” so I decided to own it and adopt “The Angus” as my performance alias. I’ve qualified for the last round every year since 2022, and in 2023 I was the runner-up, so I was determined to take the title this year.
The air guitar community is like a support system. The saying we live by is ‘Make air, not war’. It sounds silly, but it’s a real philosophy.
The event is intense but joyful. Contestants have 60 seconds to give everything – high-powered performance, precise mimicry, stage magnetism – on an nonexistent axe. Adjudicators rate you on a grading system from a specific numeric range. In the case of a tie, there’s an “air-off” between the final two contestants: a tune begins and you improvise.
Getting ready is key. I selected an Avenged Sevenfold song for my routine. I listened to it on a loop for a long time. I did regular stretches, trying to get my legs loose enough to leap, my fingers quick enough to imitate guitar parts and my upper body ready for those moves and leaps. Once the event dawned, I could internalize the track in my being.
Once all acts were done, the results were tallied, and I had matched with the Japanese champion, Yuta “Sudo-chan” Sudo – 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 relieved because it was one that I knew, and more than anything I was so thrilled to play again. When they announced I’d triumphed, the area erupted.
The moment is hazy. I think I zoned out from shock. Then the crowd started performing the song the anthem Rockin' in the Free World and raised me up on to their shoulders. A former champion – alias Nordic Thunder – a former champion and one of my dear companions, was holding me. I wept. I was the first Finnish air guitar international titleholder in two and a half decades. The previous Finnish champion, Markus “Black Raven” Vainionpää, was also present. He offered me the most heartfelt squeeze and said it was “long overdue”.
Our global network is like a family. Our guiding saying is “Focus on fun, not fighting”. It sounds silly, but it’s a true way of life. People come from all over the world, and each person is positive and uplifting. As you prepare to compete, every competitor offers an embrace. Then for 60 seconds you’re able to be yourself, playful, the top performer in the world.
I’m also a drummer and string player in a musical act with my family member called the Southgates, named after Gareth Southgate, as we’re fans of Britpop and new wave. I’ve been working in bars for a couple of years, and I produce independent videos and music videos. Winning hasn’t changed my day-to-day life drastically but I’ve been doing a extensive media, and I hope it leads to more artistic projects. My hometown will be a cultural hub soon, so there are great prospects.
For now, I’m just thankful: for the community, for the chance to perform, and for that little kid who picked up a newspaper and thought, “That's for me.”