Cleveland’s Ricky Stinkfingers performs at US Air Guitar Nationals. Credit: Courtesy of Nat Boas
Each year, US Air Guitar competitions take place regionally prior to the championship event that sends one winner to Finland to compete in the Air Guitar World Championships.

For the first time ever, the championship event will be held in Cleveland. The US Air Guitar Finals will take place on July 20 at the Beachland Ballroom. The event is a real blast, and a press release for the competition rightly boasts that it’s “a cross between American Idol, professional wrestling and Marina Abramović.”

The rules state that the contestants perform for one minute and are judged on a combination of technical merit, stage presence and “airness.”  All guitars must be invisible, and in each city, the jury consists of a panel of independent judges approved by US Air Guitar.

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This article appears in Jan 31 – Feb 13, 2024.

Jeff has been covering the Cleveland music scene for more than 25 years now. On a regular basis, he tries to talk to whatever big acts are coming through town. And if you're in a local band that he needs to hear, email him at jniesel@clevescene.com.