If you only know two things that I love, air guitar and roller derby are both right up there (along with hockey, chocolate-chip cookies, beer, and weird-looking cats). And now, finally, the chance for those two to coexist has come to New England! CT RollerGirls, out of Stamford, Connecticut, have beaten my beloved Boston Derby Dames to the punch in having an air guitar half-time show. And thanks to a friend of The Marquis, we're invited to participate!
Now, this has happened before. Minnesota RollerGirls have, I believe, had some air guitar halftime shows before - I specifically recall a photo with Flying Finn, Airosol, and a few others, all wearing epic gauntlets, at a bout - and I know Nordic Thunder was performing at a bout somewhere and got kicked out for too much pelvic thrusting. That last bit baffles me, because what kind of derby league is against pelvic thrusting? None of the derby skaters I know would be offended... anyway. What I'm driving at is that this is a great fit! They're both non-mainstream but growing sports (what, you train and get sweaty and possibly injured in both... they're both sports!), they both involve costumes and assumed names, although increasing numbers of skaters are using their real names. They both are tough to explain to your grandmother. And now that the setup of air guitar competitions has changed, they both involve participants having to put together and put on their own shows/bouts. And if you want my opinion, anyone who's nuts enough to be into one of these two scenes is nuts enough to like the other one as well. So I couldn't be happier that finally, we get to partake!
The Details
This will be the half-time show of the Nov. 16th bout between two of CT RollerGirls' home teams, the Bonecrushers and the Iron Angels (the travel teams' regular season is over and the championships will be over by the time this bout takes place too). This will take place in Woodbridge, CT, at the Connecticut Sports Center. Here's more info on the location and timing of the bout we're invited to perform at.
The Air Guitarists
And when I say "we," I mean that any Boston air guitarist is invited down to participate, and I know right now that Captain Airhab and I are in! New York air guitarists are coming up as well - G. Tso Money has declared his intent to participate, and others are figuring out their schedules - and obviously The Marquis is in since it's his big idea. It's going to be awesome (except for me... I'll be adequate-ish).
So, are you in?
Sidebar: If anyone's reading this from the Boston Derby Dames, Boston's air guitarists are not only stellar human beings, and (largely) exceptionally entertaining performers, but I personally am a huge fan and past failed tryout loser of your league and would love - LOVE! - if we could perform at a half-time of one of your bouts. I'm shocked that Connecticut has beaten us to the punch here! I realize it's monumentally unlikely that anyone from the league is reading, so, Boston air guitarists, what do you say, would you want to play at a BDD bout at the Shriners' Auditorium out in Wilmington? BOSTON BOSTON PINCH PINCH PINCH!