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At the age of 10, I discovered a article in my local paper about the World Air Guitar Competition, which take place every year in my native city of Oulu, Finland. My family had volunteered at the inaugural contest starting from 1996 – mom distributed flyers, my dad sorted the music. From that point, national championships have been organized all across the world, with the winners gathering in Oulu every summer.

Initially, I asked my parents if I could participate. Initially they had doubts; the competition was in a bar, and there would be an older crowd. They believed it might be an daunting atmosphere, but I was set on it.

As a kid, I was always performing air guitar, miming along to the most popular rock tunes with my invisible instrument. My parents were enthusiasts – my father loved Springsteen and U2. the Australian rockers was the original act I stumbled upon myself. the guitarist, the frontman guitarist, was my idol.

As I took the stage, I performed my act to AC/DC’s that classic track. The spectators started yelling “Angus”, just like the album track, and it struck me: this is what it feels like to be a music icon. I reached the championship, performing to hundreds of people in the town square, and I was addicted. I was dubbed “Little Angus” that day.

Then I took a break. I was a judge one year, and opened for the show another time, but I stayed out of the contest. I came 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 make “The Angus” as my stage name. I’ve made it to the final each competition since then, and in 2023 I placed second, so I was determined to claim victory this year.

The worldwide group is like a family. Our guiding principle is ‘Make air, not war’. Though it appears humorous, but it’s a true ethos.

The competition itself is intense but joyful. Participants have 60 seconds to give everything – high-powered performance, perfect mime, stage magnetism – on an invisible guitar. The panel score you on a grading system from a specific numeric range. If scores are equal, there’s an “air-off” between the last two competitors: a tune begins and you improvise.

Preparation is everything. I selected an Avenged Sevenfold song for my act. I listened to it on a loop for a long time. I practiced flexibility, trying to get my lower body flexible enough to leap, my hands fast enough to imitate guitar parts and my spine set for those moves and leaps. When the event arrived, I could feel the song in my soul.

After everyone had performed, the scores came in, and I had tied with the winner from Japan, Yuta “Sudo-chan” Sudo – it was moment for an final showdown. We faced off to that classic rock anthem by Guns N’ Roses. When I heard the song, I felt comforted because it was familiar to me, and above all I was so eager to perform one more time. As they declared I’d triumphed, the venue went wild.

It's all a bit fuzzy. I think I lost consciousness from surprise. Then all present started performing the song Rockin’ in the Free World and raised me up on to their backs. A former champion – AKA his performer title – a former champion and one of my closest friends, was hugging me. I cried. I was the inaugural from Finland air guitar international titleholder in two and a half decades. The previous Finnish champion, the former champion, was in attendance as well. He gave me the biggest hug and said it was “about damn time”.

This worldwide group is like a close-knit group. Our motto is “Focus on fun, not fighting”. It may seem humorous, but it’s a real philosophy. Competitors come from all over the world, and everyone is positive and uplifting. As you prepare to compete, all participants offers an embrace. Then for a brief period you’re able to be free, humorous, the top performer in the world.

Besides that, I'm a drummer and string player in a band with my sibling called the Southgates, named after the football manager, as we’re inspired by British music genres. I’ve been working in bars for a short time, and I direct short films and music videos. The title hasn’t changed my day-to-day life significantly but I’ve been doing a extensive media, and I hope it results in more artistic projects. The city will be a designated cultural center the coming year, so there are exciting things ahead.

For now, I’m just appreciative: for the group, for the ability to compete, and for that budding enthusiast who read an article and thought, “I want to do that.”