Happy Holidays from the AirForce.

Red Fang Onslaught

October 25, 2011. Portland AirForce elite, Tony Tapatio, dominated the Red Fang Air Guitar Battle to rise to the top. As it should be. If you're going to stage a battle, expect at least one elite special force member to show up, air guitar axe in hand, to be swung, with vengeance, taking out everyone else in its path. Check out this over-the-top, excellently-represented performance that shows why Tony is elite.

tiger claw holiday snippet

Hey everyone, Claw was at a vendor holiday party, and the band saw me airing to them. during a break, air guitar was explained, as well the real guitar background, as a way of respect that we have for both. They also got the TC USAG trading card. During the second set, the band called out to Claw to join them for an impromptu cameo performance to J.J. Cale's The Breeze, made famous by Skynyrd. The video was taken by a work associate on his iPhone, so please excuse the grittiness on the visual. Also, it's only one minute, but hey, when we go onstage, all we get is a minute, as well.

Now if you look closely, the singer/guitarist is playing rhythm, and Claw was hearing Skynyrd in his head, so leads were being dropped in, up until the solo, where Claw was trying to match the singer's leads.

Enjoy.

Happy Holidays from SFAF HQ

Greetings from atop SF's Nob Hill, home of...The Claw, Commander-In-Chief of the SF AirForce, the world-wide elite air guitar special forces squadron. What you see above, is the ice skating rink in the downtown financial district of SF. Claw works right across the street, in the landmark Ferry Building. This is Claw's donation to the cause. You'll be proud to know, all the other signs along the wall, are paid for by sponsors. But Claw saw an open spot, and an opportunity to further our cause, at minimal expense, took our artwork to Kinko's to enlarge and laminate, and posted it to the wall, without anyone noticing. Why pay someone to promote you or your cause, if you can do it yourself, for a fraction of the cost.

Happy Holidays everyone.

(Coming shortly, which just happened tonight at a vendor's Christmas party, where the band saw Claw air guitaring to their music, at which time they asked Claw to join them onstage (in the corner) for The Breeze (they quoted J.J. Cale, since he was the original artist, even though Skynyrd made it famous), and Claw obliged. A co-worker got a minute of tape, for the benefit of us all.)

Hot Lixx in Rio - Live 2011

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sd2AdfM6bKY&feature=youtu.be

now this is something we need to incite, back here in the states...

Cold Steel @ El Rio

SF AirForce 3-time SF Regional Champion, in action, yet again. This time, at El Rio's, in the Mission. This guy has the club scene dialed in. check it out.

Conquest For Death..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=lT8AbQnk6dI

Conquest For Death had a killer show tonight, courtesy of former US Air Guitar world champion and SFAF general, Hot Lixx Hulahan, at the Knockout, in SF's Mission District, kicking off a world tour, starting in Brazil, tonight.

http://www.conquestfordeath.com/

It also was a reunion of the elite of the elite special forces. Two 3-time regional SF champions Awesome and Cold Steel Renegade, veteran air guitarist and even more a veteran of the metal club scene, Gobo, going back as far back as Claw himself, and joined by Tony Dilemma, we controlled the pits up front. Hot Lixx held down the stage, Gobo, thrashed in the pits, Claw held the line, and Awesome and CSR not only had our backs, but backed us up when things got a tad out of hand. My God, it was like the old times in the 80's. Thrashing, moshing, holding the line, protecting those behind us. How'd Claw do, guys? Damn, that was fun. Like riding a bike. Judas Priestess, you are dinged for not being there. LOL

Stay tuned for a video of CSR from a recent show. Hope all is well with our brothairs and sistairs. Please forward to Tony Dilemma and Nordic Thunder, as their emails are not on file yet. Thanks, from the Claw.

Free Air Guitars..

This great pic comes compliments of original Golden Gate Chapter SF AirForce member, fellow compatriate, and good friend, Judas Priestess. The picture speaks a thousand words. Makes Claw wonder just how used these air guitars are, that they would be given away for free. After all, Claw's hundreds of air guitars are pretty much priceless.

Cafe Du Renegade...

Thanks to Lt. Colonel Cold Steel Renegade for appearing and representing the under-appreciated art of air guitar, once again, outside the parameters of competition, and keeping the faith alive. Thanks are also in order to Shred Theodore Logan, Esq., for making his presence known, in a show of support and solidarity. Hangin with Logan tonight reinforced Claw's recognition of his passion and dedication for the art, and the AirForce is stronger with his inclusion.

The video is dark, yes, and you can blame the house for that, since they didn't bother to turn on the additional lights that highlight the normal acts the rock the stage. No respect, I tell ya. The music was a cool eclectic mix - pop, rap, rock. Claw almost ran up during the final Eagles solo from Dirty Laundry.



The initial post went out locally, but this is going out to all, simply as a reminder that we are worldwide, and if anyone has tape to offer, to send out to the masses, feel free to pass it along for inclusion on our site.

AirForce is in the house. The alcohol-burning funny cars of air guitar.

AirForce welcomes its newest member..

He won his first regional championship in 2006, again in 2008, and yet again in 2010. The pattern of 'even' years was broken, when he won, yet again, in 2011. All in the same region. What makes 2011 differ from the others, is not just the fact it was an odd year, but that he went on to win the National Championship, in the same town. This year.

As with many of our brothairs and sistairs, including Claw, injuries are not enough to deter us from our calling. This is common with sports and entertainment performers, that is based in passion for the art, and injuries that are worked through, in the process. Knee slides are more than just skin, and blood, shed, and bled. And this champion has had his share of skeletal/muscular damage done in the process, and persevered. You gotta love testosterone.

To be AirForce, requires even more. Not just wins on a regional, or national level, or even the world stage. Otherwise, everyone would be a part of the Force. No. Wins mean nothing. It was never about wins. Hell, half of the Force have no wins. Even Claw. It's about love and passion for what we do. And this guy exudes this passion, ha, in spite of his wins. (Not to mention the fact that the invitation comes only from the Claw. LOL)

I give you...Nordic Thunder. US Air Guitar trading card #6. Claw is no stranger to negative press. As are many others. But after reading and seeing all the posts between Colonel Nordic Thunder, and all the others he graciously opened his home to, scattered across his floors, raiding the fridge, desecrating the bathroom, and basically, turning his home into a fraternity house, because that's what we are, a fraternity/sorority, that is a love and passion even Claw would be hesitant to do. Just don't step on my cat. Combined with a multitude of props from everyone across the air guitar spectrum, it was determined Thunder deserved a place in the AirForce. Even better, he will represent a region not previously represented. Commander of the Chi-Town Chapter.

Please join Claw in welcoming Nordic Thunder into the family. Air guitar special forces. We are elite.

Claw project preview

Here is a sample of what's to come. The Tiger Claw Air Guitar Tech online tutorial. Three levels. Twelve speed sessions. Air guitar instruction. How to use actual guitar moves to improve and master air guitar. Without the struggle of playing by ear. Enjoy.

The Tiger Claw Air Guitar Technical Institute

The season is officially over, but that doesn't mean it has to end. For all you competitors out there, looking for an edge, help in certain areas where you are weak, or new to the game, welcome to the Tiger Claw Air Guitar Technical Institute. An online tutorial made up of speed sessions under 3 minutes, covering the basics (chords and scales), techniques, to enhance your performance, and genre-specific moves to expand your repertoire in the song choice department.

Remember: you may have the coolest costume, or the fanciest dance moves, but if you can't even play the guitar, to the tune of the song playing, it's not air guitar. And you WILL get dinged in the technical judging aspect. At least learn a few chops, and not embarrass yourself.

The TCAGTI is coming soon. After all is complete, one session per week. Of course, a DVD will be available in 2012, if you want the whole collection in one shot.

Stay tuned.

Also in the works for 2012, the Tiger Claw Air Guitar Invitational. A competition based solely on technical expertise. Most likely at a club too small for fancy dance moves, and costuming will cost you a point. Oh, did Claw mention cash prizes? He just did.

Stay tuned.

Air Guitar - Southern Style

http://www.thecrushgirls.com/Latest/2nd-annual-air-guitar-contest.html

If you're in the Corpus Christie, TX area, stop by the House of Rock. Brock McRock is the man. AirForce representin', y'all.

And the AirForce Division National Best Score goes to...

On behalf of the (SF)AirForce, Tiger Claw would like to congratulate Airisol, for scoring the highest of all of our officers competing in the 2011 USAG National Air Guitar Championship, held in Chicago. While Nordic Thunder went on to win the competition, and go on to represent the US and compete in the World Air Guitar Championship in Oulu, Finland, we wanted to honor those who represented our own at the Nationals. Airisol, we salute you.

Wild Thing 37, breaks the record

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-14358319

SF Air Force Colonel and UK Chapter Commander, Wild Thing 37, leads the WOMAD festival audience in an all-out air guitar extravaganza, breaking the world record along the way. To Jimi Hendrix, no less. We are proud.

2011 US Air Guitar National Championship

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=2011+us+air+guitar+Chicago+national+championships&aq=f

Videos from the 2011 US Air Guitar National Championship in Chicago. Also, individual video pages on the left, have been updated to reflect current performances.

Nationals update..

from the Chicago Tribune, a photo gallery that is truly awesome:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-110724-airguitar-pictures,0,1484505.photogallery

and now, Nordic Thunder, and Claw must say, the fingers were flying:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/25/us-air-guitar-champion-ju_n_909045.html#s315819

great article from the Gapers-Block, including video:

http://gapersblock.com/transmission/2011/07/25/nordic_thunder_takes_home_the_us_air_guitar_2011_national_title/

From US Air Guitar

http://usairguitar.com/post/8039259560/hometown-hero-nordic-thunder-takes-championship-belt

US Air Guitar, in the books...but not over yet!

Tiger Claw reporting from AirForce Headquarters. The Nationals are done, and Nordic Thunder is our US Air Guitar National Champion. The competition was close. Here is the top ten: 1 - Nordic Thunder, 2 - Airistotle, 3 - RomeoDance Cheetah, 4 - Tony Tapatio, 5 - Windhammer, 6 - Tommy Fretless, 7 - Dry Ice, 8 - Airisol, 9 - Lt. Facemelter, 10 - Dreamcatcher.

Congratulations to our other AirForce members for giving their all: Shred Nugent, Cold Steel Renegade, Brock McRock, Mean Melin, Six-String General, and Shred Boy RD. Claw has no doubt everyone had a great time in Chi-Town.

Keep the dream alive. And cheer on Thunder to bring the world gold back to the US. We'll do it all again next year.

Stats Please..

first off, those of you competing in the Dark Horse (Brock, Whalin), it's tomorrow night. July 21. not Friday. Not the night of the national competition. TOMORROW. Check www.usairguitar.com for the official flyer for the Dark Horse.

and for those of you who haven't been keeping track, Claw has been. It's his job. Logistics. His middle name. In fact, you can call him, LogistiClaw. claw likes to think, and is honored to assist, as USAG's companion site for this info. Here is the rundown for the US Air Guitar National Championship, as it went down for the last two months:

5/12 - Chicago Nordic Thunder
5/13 - Denver Dreamcatcher
5/19 - Kansas City Mean Melin (SF AirForce)
5/21 - Austin Vlad DM Waillin
6/8 - Milwaukee Dry Ice
6/9 - Kalamazoo Thundergland
6/10 - Minneapolis Airisol (SF AirForce)
6/11 - Washington Tommy Fretless
6/15 - NY Airistotle
6/16 - Brooklyn Shreddy Mercury
6/17 - Boston McNallica
6/18 - Philadelphia Windhammer
6/24 - SF Shred Nugent (SF AirForce)
6/25 - SF Cold Steel Renegade (SF AirForce)
7/8 - Seattle Lt. Facemelter (SF AirForce)
7/9 - Portland Tony Tapatio
7/14 - Los Angeles Shred Boy R.D. (SF AirForce)
7/15 - San Diego Six-String General (SF AirForce)

As you can see, out of 18, the SF AirForce is represented by 7. Congratulations to all for the undying efforts for air guitar.

AirForce United...

Congratulations to all our brothairs and sistairs on their victories. When we couldn't take one region, we took another. We are unstoppable. And that's what sets us apart from all the rest. It's why we are family. It's why we are...AirForce.

Quick changes: in name only. To maintain titles and URL's, we will always be SF AirForce, as a point of origin, and the foundation and headquarters. But it is obvious we have grown outside of our original family. There are many who hail from elsewhere, but who have also competed here in SF. To isolate those from here, those from there who compete here, and those from there, who have yet to compete here, is a disservice and has become irrelevant to the purpose of the family, overall. Since we are all family, and we are all in it together, here, there, and abroad, those from here, will be known from this point forward, as Golden Gate Chapter members, as well as those from there, who have competed here. (I toiled with Pacific for awhile, but that would conflict with Southern CA, so I went with the name used by the oldest HOG Chapter in the US.) Everyone in other chapters have been incorporated into the ranks, as it should be.

Rank Promotions: We've got several promotions within the ranks that should be honored. Shred Nugent has been a Major (one regional) since his San Jose win in 2007, but with his recent victory in SF in 2011, he is now, Lt-Colonel(2+ regionals), and joins his fellow Golden Gate members, Awesome and Cold Steel Renegade. Our SoCal Commander in San Diego, Lt. Facemelter, who was also a Major, with one win in SD a couple years back, has taken Seattle this year, raising him up to the next rank, which means even though he goes by Lt. Facemelter, technically, he is officially Lt-Colonel Facemelter. And...two Sgt-Majors (multiple appearances) who hail from other regions, but are also Golden Gate Chapter members, have finally won their first Regional Championships, raising them from Sgt-Majors to full Majors. Shred Boy RD, out of LA, winning LA; and Six-String General, out of LA, and NY, as well competing in Vegas and SF, multiple times (talk about a nomad), took San Diego. While Claw will continue to not speak on behalf of the family, it is with great honor Claw congratulates these individuals for the success they have brought to their regions, and to the family known as the AirForce.

Nationals: This is what it comes down to, what it's all about. Team AirForce are on their way to Chicago. 7 to be exact. As is 2 others, Southern Chapter Commander Brock McRock, out of Houston, and PacNorWest Chapter Commander, Whalin BigAir, out of Portland, representing us in the Dark Horse, in an effort to compete alongside the rest of the family. BigAir will have a second opportunity, if he takes the Dark Horse, to take it and compete not just alongside the family, but also against his fellow Airpocalypse brethren, Tony Tapatio.

As Claw has said before, it matters not if you have won or not. Claw has yet to win, along with many others. Many in the family have become champions, after becoming family. That is called success. Some are new members, but not all, and those new members are members because they exhibit not just the skills or determination, but because they have the desire to do this. Compete if you will, but to extoll the passion for air guitar, in spite of whatever fear exists in doing so in front of a live crowd, well, that alone makes you worthy. Congratulations to our winners, and our newest members.

And lastly, Claw would like to make a new promise, same as the old promise. In SF, two trophies were created for the two Golden Gate members who scored the highest on both days, whether they won or not. Backstage. Private ceremony. Thanks to US Air Guitar, the AirForce was honored to present each days' actual winner with the subsequent trophies, Airforce or not. It was our destiny. Both days were taken by AirForce members. And so it goes with The Nationals, in Chicago. Claw understands there is an award on the National level. Cool. But as an incentive, if any of the AirForce takes the National title, Claw will have a trophy waiting for you. 2011 US Air Guitar Champion - Chicago, IL " ? ? ?"{