The exclusive last chance event to qualify for the USAG Nationals was held at Lucky Chengs this year in the lower level of a drag queen cabaret dinner joint in NYC. This venue was small, gritty and a challenge for arena style performers who usually play big.
Playing small and tight is hard. It seems the purist does best here.
Björnica and fellow judges score close to the bone.
Hot Lixx Hulihan, where he belongs.....in lights.
World Champion Hot Lixx Hulihan and 2009 National Champion from NYC, William Ocean do the Fung Wa half time show. I love this moment. Hot Lixx is just feeling it and Ocean is freaking out in the face. Ocean also did an amazing running in place bit. Spiritual.
Hot Lixx = smart, technically stacked and a true showman. A genyouine professional.
For example, the ironic air quoting. I'm grateful that air guitar has a rich enough history in the United States to warrant such a theatrical exploration of how seriously we can take known futility. Nearly Shakespearean.
This performance was a bad acid trip complete with a child like onlooker grasping for the discarded balloons as if falling for candy from a stranger.
Disoriente'
After traveling the country, true to form and often getting lost in translation, it's no small victory to be understood.
A picture is a secret of a secret. - Diane Arbus
Co-Founder of US Air Guitar Kriston Rucker at the Fillmore, New York at Irving Plaza.
Shreddy Mercury interviews at the press release before the National competition.
A comedian and his crew. I accidentally sat in his chair. A woman with a clipboard tapped me on the shoulder and said "our talent is sitting there." He practiced a lot of questions into the camera over and over with slightly different affects. When the camera man pulled focus, and the talent stood up, I expected a well rehearsed: "How do you cope with being away from your wives and children?" ....but all that came out was "I actually don't have any questions." My air dick deflated. I think he was intimidated by all the other talent.
Co-Founder Cedric Devitt gets on the level. "Air Guitar is a vessel, what you put in it, is up to you."
What goes up....
should eventually make it's way back to stage. ....
The Rockness Monster half time show.
Wham Bam, Thank You Miriam! Amazing pix, once again.
ReplyDeleteDoes this mean you got some of your pics back??? Awesome shots! I love the photo essay aspect of it, too! You rock SO hard.
ReplyDeleteUpdate: I haven't' heard back from the agent about recovering the rest of the images. I dropped of the card with forensics on Friday. The guy was talking about data carving and right blocking and making really sure there was nothing illegal contained in the files. He explained that all dates associated with them would be erased so I couldn't deny creation. Yikes. I had to actually think about for a second. But I'm pretty sure the most illicit behavior was the 3 story gravity air bong performed by
ReplyDeleteDreamcatcher so I said go for it. Keep you posted. RocknRoll!!!!
Do you know what my air dick is doing right now? Rockin \,,/
ReplyDeleteI love this venue, its like the last chance cafe of air guitar. My favorite pictures are the air quotes, hot lixx and ocean and also the secret photo. I think that would be a good one for the pdn performance contest under "crowd shots" but then again seriously how can anyone compete with the airness of these performances?
This collection is so fabulous I dont even miss the content of the missing 16G. Maybe its cuz I wasnt there or because Ive seen the nationals from your lens before, but this is a part of the contest I never knew about, and I know a lot more about air guitar than I ever imagined. Well done my friend, a smash hit once again!!