Air guitarists jam in Seattle

Seattle -- Costumed performers, including an undercover Microsoft employee, gathered sans instruments in Seattle to compete in the U.S. Air Guitar Championships tour.

The Jose Cuervo-sponsored event at Chop Suey involved air guitar devotees strumming along to music without actual guitars as part of the 24-stop tour aimed at creating a Team USA air guitar team to compete in Finland in August, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reported Tuesday.

"Some people have football season -- I have air guitar season," said Garth Donald, a youth-shelter worker and air guitar veteran. He said the skill requires "years and years, and beers and beers" to perfect.

However, some performers said they had less pride in their chosen performance art.

One performer, "Red Hot," identified himself as a Microsoft employee. He said he did not want to give his real name because he feared what coworkers might think of his hobby.

"I've only been here two weeks -- I want to have a career or something," he said.

Copyright 2008 by United Press International.