This recap is late too; again, sue me.
So, San Diego. It's always amazing, because their qualifier is put together by 2013 US Air Guitar National Champion, Lt. Facemelter. This is a man who decorates his rec room with air guitar trading cards and who wrangles a light-up jacket for his national performances, so you know he doesn't mess around when it comes to air guitar and showmanship.
First out of the blocks was Lionel Fuckin Richie, the former King Slayer (I guess when your namesake has been short a hand for at least a season on the tv show, he stops being a good air guitar role model).
I have long known that there was a Hands Solo, although I didn't know until recently that this was Cleoplectra's brother (or is that Hand Solo and this is a different guy?). Anyway, with my new name change, we're bound to be friends. The scoundrel himself went second, followed by the best kept promise ever: last year at the San Diego qualifier, a girl got onstage and sang a little impromptu karaoke, then promised to be back to compete this year. AND SHE WAS. Whammy Bar Willie, everybody. Clearly a member of the family. That's her in the photo (by Jules9702 on Instagram)
San Diego stalwarts Sweetness, AIRiel RipChord (in a killer pair of knuckle gloves!), Jolly Green Shredding Machine, and Octane Fretty lit it up onstage, and the young 'uns contingent continues to be represented by Air-O-Dynamic and Tyranicus - and also, this year, Tyranicus' consort, Empira! So glad to see her hitting the stage. Unlike her partner in destruction, she looked like she was filled with joy at destroying faces, whereas he keeps it super serious. That's fine, there's room for both in air guitar (and in medieval fantasy warfare, for that matter).
Andres SegoviAIR returned once again to lay down some chair guitar, which he always does with aplomb; while I love everyone leaping about the stage like maniacs, I am always pleased when someone who does something very different gets recognized for it, which he did: 6.0. I think that's becoming more well-understood in air guitar. From chair guitar to the zany conceptual antics of Peter "Stiff" Dickens, doing something other than the expected straight-up stage calisthenics is becoming more accepted and "judgable." To that point, I understand that the judging was really good in San Diego, which is perhaps my other soapbox topic for this season. Well judged, judges! Way to recognize excellence and judge on the right criteria.
The night's ultimate victor was our youthful overlord, Tyranicus - he'll be joined at the Western Conference Finals (aka San Francisco Semis) by Jolly Green Shredding Machine and Flaming Pitz.