A Slash guitar contest rocked Hard Rock Cafe ahead of Slash’s arrival in Singapore.

Patrons of Hard Rock Cafe on July 30 were treated to a Slash guitar contest to promote his first concert in Singapore.

Organized by LAMC Productions and Visa, the contest involved 2 categories, the ‘Air Guitar” and the “Real Electric Guitar” sections. Participants had to choose the category to compete in and post videos of their performances up on the contest’s Facebook page. The songs used had to be either from Guns ‘N Roses, Velvet Revolver, Slash’s SnakePit or his latest eponymous solo album.

3 contestants of each category with the most Facebook ‘Likes’ by midnight of July 28 will then face off for the grand prize at Hard Rock Cafe.

Srivatsan Mohan, Yash Singh and Aseem Mangaokar were voted favourites for the ‘Air Guitar’ section, while Clarence Long, Melvin Cyril, Nihal Pai headlined the Real Guitar section.

The event kicked off with a bang, as the finalists’ contest was a feisty affair, with the 6 finalists working up the crowd in each of their unique fashions.

Melvin Cyril and Yash Singh imitated Slash’s fashion sense by donning the hair and black top hat while the other contestants were more low key.

Not to be outdone, Nihal Pai showed off a few stunts of his own as he shredded at his guitar behind his back.

At the end of the performances, deafening cheers left no doubt to who stood head and shoulders above the rest. Srivatsan Mohan’s air guitar performance of Starlight from Slash and Nihal Pai’s rearranged version of Sweet Child O’ Mine won each of their respective categories.

Srivatsan Mohan, 18, ‘Air Guitar’ spoke to UrbanWire about winning the air guitar category.

Winner of the air guitar segment

“I put on my headphones and I just feel the music. I also watched the Air Guitar World Championships on Youtube (to prepare for my performance).”

Srivatsan has also been learning the electric guitar since the beginning of the year.

Nihal Pai, 14, winner of the electric guitar category felt “really happy and excited about winning”.

Contestants of the real guitar segment, together with Hard Rock Cafe owner
A student at United World College of South East Asia, Nihal has been playing electric guitar for ‘3 or 4 years’.

Sponsered by Visa, LAMC Productions and I-S magazine, the 2 grand prizes include an Epiphone Les Paul guitar, a ticket to Slash’s concert on August 2 as well as a personal meet & greet session with the guitar icon himself, where he will autograph the winners’ guitar. The winner of the “Real Electric Guitar” section will win an additional Jim Dunlop Slash Crybaby Wah.

The 4 consolation winners will not go home empty-handed after their efforts, and will win a ticket to Slash’s concert, a copy of Slash’s new album, $50 Hard Rock Cafe vouchers and a Slash Singapore Tour poster.

Photos by Poh Yi Min