Guitar Hero

Air guitar; we've all done it before - usually accompanied by someone using a hair brush as a mic and your best mate playing savagely off-kilter air drums as you somehow combine star jumps off the bed into your act.

Now the Jubilee Hotel is showing off the best of these bedroom warriors and wants you to come along to the party. While it's obvious that the night isn't taking itself too seriously, a quick search on Youtube will reveal a veritable gold mine of men and women who give the term OTT a whole new meaning - something that one of this year’s judges Sophie Cowie agrees is part of the event’s charm.

“It's all about theatrics, crowd participation and being over the top, so judging by last year I expect a lot of loud costumes,” she says.

And Sophie would know, having competed in last year’s instalment and finishing a credible fourth with her enthusiastic interpretation of The Hives.

“I spoke to one of the contestants last year and he told me that they came into it with mates who had done it consecutively for several years... so there are definitely a few regulars that are there year to year.

“There was quite a few people watching it last year with around 15 contestants and it's definitely funny to watch. There was young and old alike - it's not just for the 20 year olds - there were some guys in their mid thirties up there giving it a go as well.

“We had a guy jump off the stage and one of them stole a customer’s drink - like full rock 'n roll and on Youtube there is a contestant who was one of the world champions from the year before who pretended that their amp had failed when they plugged it in and had audio tracks that they had obviously made with all those sound effects so it's pretty out there.”

And while the instruments are fake, the rewards certainly aren't, with last year’s Australian winner being flown to Sweden to represent the green and gold.

Just when you thought the world couldn't get anymore surreal.

The Queensland final of the Australian Air Guitar Championship happens Saturday March 27 at the Jubilee Hotel.