Posted on: April 30, 2011 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

For the first time in history, Chicago will host the US AIR GUITAR NATIONAL FINALS. On July 23rd at METRO, US Air Guitar’s nationwide search for the country’s finest professional air guitarists will culminate in what will doubtlessly become Chicago’s premiere summer event. The 2011 US Air Guitar National Finals will pit nearly two dozen handpicked winners from 18 cities across the country against one another in a battle for Air Guitar supremacy, immediate fame, and lifelong bragging rights. The winner of this event will be forever crowned the 2011 US Air Guitar Champion. The champion will go on to represent USA in a worldwide competition against over twenty national champions from around the globe at the Air Guitar World Championships in Oulu, Finland.

For nearly a decade, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and DC have consistently outbid Chicago for the honor of hosting the US Air Guitar National Finals. But Chicago’s audiences and, most of all, her regional champions, have made an inarguable case for their beloved “Shy” in 2011. After hearing the announcement, Chicago’s native son and three-time champion NORDIC THUNDER (Justin Howard) proclaimed he would emerge from retirement with the hope of winning the Championship Belt in his hometown. NBC quickly picked up the story, which airs during the “Dance Friday” segment on The Morning News on May 6th.

Chicago will also be hosting opening day of the US AIR GUITAR REGIONAL COMPETITIONS on May 12 at the DOUBLE DOOR. Cities who will be hosting Official Regional Competitions and sending winners to the Finals in Chicago include Denver, Kansas City, Austin, Milwaukee, Kalamazoo, Minneapolis, DC, New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, Los Angeles and San Diego. Visit usarguitar.com for real-time blogging from each event, awesome merch, and the news that matters most.

2008 US and World Air Guitar champion HOT LIXX HULAHAN will return to judge the competitions, and Author of To Air is Human and star of the hit documentary Air Guitar Nation, BJÖRN TÜROQUE has returned to host another year of the Regional Competitions and the National Finals. Mr. Türoque will later head to Finland, where he has hosted the World Air Guitar Championships for the past three years. Upon accepting our invitation, the air guitar wunderkind released this statement: “Chicago? Lots of ‘air puns.’ We better not blow.”

“Chicago has always been one of our favorite stops on the competition circuit, and has even produced our reigning National Champion, Romeo DanceCheetah. So it was with unmitigated delight that we accepted the Windy City’s airtight bid and agreed to bring our nation’s top virtual event to her number one second city.”
–The Office of the Co-Commissionership of the United States Air Guitar Championships

“We’ve supported US Air Guitar since 2007 and with this being our fifth year of having an event at Metro, we’re stoked to have the US Finals land in Chicago and in our venue, for the first time. Metro has seen some amazing regional and local shredders but to have THE cream of the national crop perform on our stage is an honor we proudly accept with great humility.”
– Chris Baronner, Señor Talent Buyer for Metro

Leave a Comment