Those who cannot play guitar -- play air guitar.

That's the philosophy behind the Air Guitar Championships, which kicked off last night in Washington.

One contestant dressed as a philosopher known as Air-istotle, another as an 18th-century Frenchman known as the Marquis de Shredd, another as a military man known as the Six-String General.

One contestant calling himself Glitzkrieg showered himself with glitter and talked about how he was born playing air guitar even as he came out of the womb.

Big talkers, but they were put to shame by a 45-year-old dad known as Lance "The Shred" Kasten, who blew them off the stage.

Kasten says his age was an advantage, because in the compulsory round he had to play a Boston tune, and what person of his age has NOT air-guitared to Boston.

The rules of air-guitar state you cannot use a real guitar, but it may be acoustic or electric.

You cannot use real props but you can use a real pick.