Zachary “Ichabod Fame” Knowles, a burlesque-dancing and bass-playing actor, never expected to become the air guitar world champion. It all began when students he was teaching to dance burlesque suggested he try air guitar competitions — where participants mime playing a guitar on stage.
Initially skeptical, Knowles recalled their humor: “They laughed and said to me, ‘Yes, it is the most ridiculous thing that you can do with your clothes still on.'” Intrigued, he agreed and entered his first competition in 2017. Though his performance was “mediocre at best,” he stayed to watch others and was captivated by the energy and dedication everyone brought to their brief 60-second routines. “It was such a cool community of people putting themselves out there and having a wild, celebratory time,” he said.
Now, at 34, Knowles boasts long heavy-metal hair, a signature mustache, and the title of air guitar world champion. “Saying that out loud still makes me giggle,” he admitted.
Just two weeks ago, Knowles claimed victory at the Air Guitar World Championships in Oulu, Finland, outperforming competitors from over 20 countries. His standout performances featured Nickelback’s “Photograph” and Olivia Rodrigo’s “Obsessed.” Judges evaluated participants based on criteria like originality, stage presence, technical skill, and “airness,” according to the competition’s rulebook.
“Every performer really brings themselves to it,” Knowles shared, emphasizing how his persona, Ichabod Fame — inspired by a resemblance to Ichabod Crane from Sleepy Hollow — embodies parts of his own personality “dialed up to 11.” His performances are dynamic and theatrical, drawing on his experiences in musical theater, dance, and playing bass. Knowles often incorporates burlesque moves and stunts like high kicks and splits, which require serious preparation. “It’s definitely something that I have to stretch and warm up for,” he noted.
Beyond just performance skills, Knowles also physically trains for air guitar, working out regularly to boost his strength, endurance, and flexibility. He even practices his air guitar routines in a local park, taking advantage of the open space and soft ground. “It’s not even the weirdest thing you will see in the park,” he quipped.
A crucial aspect of air guitar is making the performance believable, as though the performer is genuinely playing an instrument. While some competitors stick to mimicking the same instrument, Knowles likes to mix it up. For instance, in Finland, he pretended to shred on an inflatable guitar.
Performing outdoors in Finland, Knowles was amazed by the sheer size of the audience. “The crowd stretched as far back as I could see,” he said. Air guitar crowds tend to be a mix of younger to middle-aged fans, many drawn to the quirky, campy nature of the shows, while others come for the love of rock and metal music.
Knowles attributes much of his success to his ability to connect with audiences. “I go all out pretending to play an instrument, and I’m completely candid about it. When you do that, the audience goes, ‘That’s kind of amazing. I can go all out too,'” he explained.
His first performance at the championships involved a Nickelback cover that began with a guitar solo and revealed itself as the much-memed “Photograph,” drawing both cheers and groans from the audience. Although Knowles used to “love to hate” Nickelback, he’s come to appreciate the song over time.
His second performance, to Olivia Rodrigo’s “Obsessed,” was a surprise for the contestants. Despite not knowing the song beforehand, Knowles said he enjoyed it.
In the end, Knowles emerged victorious, beating out second-place competitors Nanami “Seven Seas” Nagura from Japan and Kirill “Guitarantula” Blumenkrants from France, who tied, and third-place contestant Patrick “Ehrwolf” Culek from Germany.
The competition’s philosophy, “Make air, not war,” resonates with Knowles. The idea is that “wars will end, climate change will stop, and all bad things will vanish when everyone in the world plays air guitar,” according to the event’s website. Knowles is proud of this message and the fact that the Canadian qualifier raised funds for the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund. “This dumb, silly thing I do is helping people,” he remarked.
As the reigning champion, Knowles has secured a spot in Oulu for the 2025 competition to defend his title. While he won’t participate in the qualifiers, he’s eager to form a Canadian team to perform alongside. For those considering giving air guitar a try, Knowles offers encouraging words: “If you show up and are true to who you are, you’ll not only have one of the most fun shows of your life, but you’ll also find one of the best communities out there.”
