Review by Andrew Evans aka the Pickleball Librarian
Despite being a failed musician, I raised two musicians who played at college and pro levels. Taking them to lessons and camps over the years taught me enough to fake it. It helped me win the air guitar competition during the Westlaw party at the 2006 American Association of Law Libraries Annual Meeting & Conference in St. Louis. That’s as far as I got in my air guitar career.
Many don’t realize air guitar is serious business! They have regional competitions in many large cities across the US, as well as national finals in San Francisco. Several other countries hold national competitions. Then the best in the world compete at the Air Guitar World Championships in Finland.
When I noticed the Washburn University Theatre was presenting Airness: An Air Guitar Comedy, I had to go! The play was entertaining, informative, and funny. The actors were outstanding and really got into their parts. The stage crew made sure everything ran smoothly. Members of the audience couldn’t help but rock along with them.
Air guitar players are rated on artistic merit, originality, feeling, technical ability, charisma, and Airness. Nina, the main character, actually played guitar in a band. She had strong technical ability. As she learned the art of air guitar, she was able to add artistic merit, originality, feeling, and charisma. However, she couldn’t reach the highest state- Airness! Her purpose for competing wasn’t so much for the love of the music. She wanted revenge.
Airness is something you can’t describe. It’s more like something you feel. When I competed on that stage in St. Louis, I wanted to win, but more than that, I just felt the music and let everything go. I enjoyed sharing every shred of my air guitar. My left hand gracefully pressed down on the strings on my imaginary fretboard as I violently hit each string. I just became one with the music and the crowd. I melted their faces off! That was Airness.
Watching this play took me back to that moment and inspired me to think about dusting off my air guitar in hopes of a trip to Finland. Audience members will be touched by the air guitar community, and the support they have for each other. They will have a new respect for the art, they will laugh, and also learn the true meaning of Airness. One of the themes is how the best revenge isn’t beating someone. It’s moving forward and living your best life. Nina learns that. Even musicians who play real instruments enjoyed the play. One of the musicians I raised stayed after the performance to personally compliment the actors and crew.
You’ll have a chance to catch Airness: An Air Guitar Comedy at Washburn’s Theatre on Thursday through Saturday at 7:30pm on April 23, 24, 25 and a special matinee on Sunday on April 26 at 2pm. Tickets are $10 or less. https://cur8.com/18042/project/136003
https://calendar.washburn.edu/calendar/recurring/04-27-2026-Airness.html
