The smell of the hot dogs burning, marshmallows crisping and the sound of great guitar playing pervaded the air on this Friday night at the Founders hall gazebo. But there was one major difference between this concert and most others; the “musicians,” were only pretending to play the guitar, drums and the occasional bass. This was the air guitar contest.

In an attempt to raise money to help some of Guilford’s choir members and musicians be able to afford to go to Ireland in the future, students sold food and contestants had to make a donation to compete.

After a slow start to the contest, due to a lack of a big crowd and few participants, the contest finally began. First was sophomore Dean Malelu, with lots head banging and hair twirling while rocking “Wound Upon Wound” by Gorgoroth.

“He is going to break his neck doing that,” a concerned adult said, in regards to Malelu’s performance.

Following Malelu, sophomores Brendan Lynch and Daron Whitmore took center stage with an air guitar and drum set to CKY’s “96 Quite Bitter Being.” Fans roared with intensity with their style and ability to mimic the musicians. Senior Megan Sheridan and junior Melanie Pringle jumped around to Queen’s hit “Bicycle Race.” Religious studies professor, Eric Mortensen, played air guitar to The Grateful Dead’s “Estimated Prophet.” Courtney Shaw rocked out to the Red Hot Chili Peppers song “Pea.” Two first-years, Sam Flake and Max Van Pelt-Diller, performed “Message in a Bottle” by the Police.

“I have always loved Sting physically, no, intimately,” Van Pelt-Diller said. “Today I was Sting.”

To finish off the first round, sophomore Jonathan Richter won the crowd by rocking out to a song by the Disney character, Goofy.

Survivors of the first round were Richter, who came back with a performance of the Who’s hit, “I Can See for Miles,” Malelu who rocked “O Come All Ye Faithful” by Twisted Sister, and Lynch and Whitmore, who finished off the night with System of a Down’s “Prison Song.”

After all the finalists performed, the judges handed the responsibility to the crowd. The crowd decided on Lynch and Whitmore for first place, Malelu for second, and Richter for third.

“I feel that it was pretty good, (but) I could have done better,” Malelu said. “Also, (my song) is a bit fast for air guitar sometimes.”

“I was physically forced to perform” Van Pelt-Diller said. Sam Flake, his fellow performer, literally picked him up and carried him to the sign up sheet.

“I tried to replicate as actually as I could the actual guitar part,” Flake said about his performance.

Champions Lynch and Whitmore always saw first place as the goal. “(Losing) was never an option,” Lynch said. Instead they picked up their invisible picks and drum sticks and destroyed the imaginary stage.