Saturday, July 30, 2005

German Champ Crowned: Another Female Heading to Oulu


The glass ceiling of air guitar seems to have been shattered this year.

In Germany, Katarina Tomaschek, aka Leni Krawitzkowsky, won the national championship and will head to Oulu.

Let's hear it for the ladies.

An excellent article . The German press nails that shit. Here's an excerpt: "The prejudice that air guitar performance is nothing more than a pathetic and somewhat cheesy desire for attention couldn't be further from the truth, say the air guitarists themselves."

Friday, July 29, 2005

Better than Air Guitar?

This chick rocks the Key-tar. Maybe we should start a sub-genre of air guitar competitions: Key-Tar.

She'd kick ass, obviously.

Thursday, July 28, 2005

Is Someone More Airudite Than Bjorn Turoque?


This chick in England is trying to get a PhD in Air Guitar.


...and my parents were freaked out when I told them I was majoring in Film.

So, will she go on to teach? Set up An Institute for Advanced Air Studies? I suggest she contact Wesleyan University here in the US...

Wednesday, July 27, 2005



On Bill & Ted's DVD Extra with Bjorn and Rockness, JoBlo.com had this to say:

"Air Guitar Tutorial with Champs The Rockness Monster and Bjorn Turoque (13 minutes):

Air guitar Champs? I guess there really is something for everyone but this was kinda weird. Rockness Monster actually looks like he’s having some fun with this but the Turoque character is just bizarre although hilarious. The two guys discuss their own techniques and share their top ten tips to playing the air guitar."

Maybe he actually is getting too old for this...?

Tuesday, July 26, 2005

Stage Diving Can Kill You

THE lead singer of British rock band Bad Beat Revue died on stage after an acrobatic leap went tragically wrong...

A lesson to us all.

Bjorn & Rockness Get Good Review on Bill & Ted DVD



From the Washington Post

Most Hilarious Bonus Point: The air guitar tutorial on the "Bill & Ted" set is filled with almost as many catchphrases as both movies combined. Turoque (pronounced "to rock") calls himself "the second-best air guitarist in the world" and notes that becoming a true air guitarist means "sacrificing your friends, your family and your dignity, really." Later, he offers this piece of air guitaring advice: "Be there with the rock, and the rock will come to you." As Abraham Lincoln says in "Adventure": Party on, dude.

From the Arizona Republic Sports Pages...

We've heard it before


As much as USA Swimming seems always to be exasperated by the antics and words of Gary Hall Jr., it doesn't hesitate to borrow from him.

The swimming body sent out a release Monday to announce that the United States had won the 400-meter freestyle relay gold medal at the World Championships in Montreal, noting that it avenged a loss to the "air guitar-strumming" Australians at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney.

It was Hall, remember, who brashly promised the Americans would smash the Australians "like guitars" back in 2000 because of the air-guitar act.

You might also recall that when USA Swimming was asked why Olympic coaches left Hall off the relay team in Athens four years later, it answered, "Who?"

Oh, yeah, that relay team. Their bronze medal was the worst finish in U.S. Olympic history.

Sunday, July 24, 2005

Aireoke: Williamsburg-Wednesday July 20-How it went?

For those who rocked, we salute you!
(An Aireoke digest from our co-hosts at Block Magazine)

The second episode of AIREOKE:Williamsburg was undeniably one of the most significant nights in the history of rock n’ roll, as air guitarists shrieked in one unified voice of rock, “We’re not gonna take it!”, signifying AIREOKE’s indisputable emergence as the next best thing to cheap, cold beer and phone sex.

The evening began like an orgasm. If looks could kill, looks would most certainly be New York’s most loveable air guitar army, High Maintenance. From their very first note, strummed hard and true, this night seemed destined for Airness!

Bjorn Turoque, our faithful host and the nation’s second best air guitarist displayed his unwavering devotion to air guitar and humanity by publicly praising Rockness Monster, the man who recently bested Bjorn to represent the United States in the World Air Guitar Championships this August. The funny thing is…Rockness Monster was there!!! Yes people, Number One and Number Two, the President and Vice President, Batman and Robin, Crouching Tiger and the Hidden Dragon, were under the same roof at the same time. Showdown? Showmanship!

Picture this, Bjorn and Rockness (both an easy 6’7”) shoulder to shoulder, back to back, face to face shredding so much air it was difficult to breathe. The moon was full, girls were crying and many guys figured out for the first time who they truly were.

After a much needed break the air settled, but continued. Face melting, gut busting performances by the likes of Airistotle, ViAIRgra, Roberta Bruce, Air Spray, Air to the Throne and others from the smutty air guitar herd, collectively fueled what will go down as one of the greatest AIREOKE JAMS of all time.

Led by Air Force One and his co-pilot, the crowd pleaded in pain for one song. Yes my darling friends, Free Bird! And when the song began it was as if Trash Bar ascended to some higher more sacred ground, where “this bird will never change.” Sweat glistened on naked bodies, beer (and cans) were sacrificed, shirts were set on fire and American flags swayed coolly like the masts aboard the Santa Maria. It was in a word, heaven.

For all those present, I thank you. You have live heads and live hearts and were a part of something larger than all of us. For all those not present, shame on you. But fear not, AIREOKE STRIKES BACK August 24.

The next AIREOKE is Wednesday, August 24
The Trash Bar
256 Grand Street (Driggs & Roebling)
Williamsburg, Brooklyn (Bedford L Stop)
OPEN BAR 9 to 10 p.m.

As more and more air guitarists flock to rock AIREOKE, it’s only going to get bigger and better. Thanks again to all of our air friends and now family.

Until August 24…
Keep rocking - for air guitar, for peace!

See you all soon.
www.aireoke.com

Friday, July 22, 2005

Next Aireoke: AUGUST 24!


Last one was insane. This next one will be more so. Come rock out...

Wednesday, July 20, 2005

Crappy video of last week's US Competition!

from some news station in Indiana.

try this link

Biggest Air Guitar Ensemble EVER!!


Yes, it happened. 4000 people in England can't be wrong!

"More than 4,000 people by the main stage at Guilfest 2005, in Guildford, played air guitar to Sweet Child O' Mine by Guns n' Roses on Sunday."

I am wondering what the previous record was.

Also, interesting song choice. A true slow builder!

Tuesday, July 19, 2005

Aireoke NYC Wednesday Night July 20



Be there...
TRASH BAR
Wednesday July 20
9-10p -- OPEN BAR
10 -11p -- Bands
11p -- AIREOKE
$6
more info here

Rockness Monster becomes Nation's #1 -- Bjorn settles for #2


At the US Air Guitar Championships last week, Bjorn Turoque gave the performances of his life. He received the evening's first perfect score (four 6.0's) and was told he had finally "defined airness." But it was not enough. He lost to the hometown favorite, the Rockness Monster. A tragedy for Bjorn, and perhaps for the nation -- will Rockness have what it takes to go all the way?

The stakes are high this year...

Wednesday, July 13, 2005

Mike Piazza plays air guitar??

I don't get it.

Bjorn on NPR...

Bjorn (a/k/a Dan Crane) raps about air guitar on NPR

Tuesday, July 12, 2005

Gawker calls Bjorn Turoque a "Hipster Asshole"

Yes kids, you haven't truly arrived until you've been Gawked.



Happy to be one of the most loathsome New Yorkers. Sad it took me this long to get there....

Saturday, July 09, 2005

Wednesday, July 06, 2005

US AIR GUITAR CHAMPIONSHIPS ARE COMING!

Thursday July 14 at the Key Club... Psycho Dave, Rockness Monster, Krye Tuff, Bjorn Turoque and others face off in the battle for 2005's air crown.

More info

Buy Tickets

Tuesday, July 05, 2005

Biggest Air Guitar Ensemble EVER?

Head to Guilfest on July 17...