ClubHooligan.com - Burning it up at both ends

Web posted September 13, 2007

Guitar hero: Indulge your rock star fantasies on Sept. 21
No musical talent or experience required to play in the tournament

By KORRY KEEKER
JUNEAU EMPIRE

Courtesy of Libby Sterling

The competition: Juneau residents Bryan Hamey, left, and Ray Zimmer will compete in the town's first-ever "Guitar Hero 2" Tournament at the Rendezvous.

Joan Jett once said, "My guitar is not a thing. It is an extension of myself. It is who I am."

That was years before one of her hits, "I Love Rock 'N' Roll," was featured in the original version of "Guitar Hero." But she may as well have been talking about the game.

Since Harmonix released the interactive game for the PlayStation 2 in November 2005 - then followed with "Guitar Hero II" and "Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s" - millions have discovered that rocking the star-power mode in your living room feels almost as if you're playing a sold-out show at Wembley Arena.

At bars throughout the country, "Guitar Hero" has become the new karaoke. Clubs in Los Angeles, New York, Boston and even Iowa City host weekly tournament nights for the popular game on the PlayStation 2 and the Xbox 360.

Hundreds of all-ages tournaments are also held across the world. Check out the Guitar Hero Organized Underground League at www.beaguitarhero.com for just a few.

Finally, the movement is coming to Juneau.

The Rendezvous will host the first-ever "Guitar Hero 2" tournament at 9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 21. Prizes will be awarded to the total-point champion in the single-elimination bracket, as well as for best rock costume and best on-stage moves.

Prizes will be announced soon.

Guitar Hero 2 Tournament

When: 9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 21.

Where: The Rendezvous, 184 S. Franklin St.

Prizes for: Total-points champion of the single-elimination bracket; best rock costume; best on-stage moves. Prizes to be announced shortly.

About: First 24 to sign up will be automatically filtered into the bracket. If more sign up, they may have to qualify in a play-in tournament to be held Thursday, Sept. 20.

To register: E-mail korry.keeker@juneauempire.com or send a message to www.myspace.com/juneaurendezvous.

Spots are limited in the competition, and all competitors must be at least 21. To register, e-mail korry.keeker@juneauempire.com or message the Rendezvous at www.myspace.com/rendezvousjuneau.

For those uninitiated few, "Guitar Hero," doesn't actually require skills or any experience whatsoever on the guitar.

The game's plastic guitars have five colored frets - red, orange, green, yellow and blue. You fret a note (a single color) or a chord (a combination of colors) and strum the guitar's tab as the color combinations scroll down the screen in relation to the passages of the song.

Points multiply as you successfully strum streaks of notes and chords.

The tournament night will begin with a seeding round. All contestants will play the same song, then be seeded into the single-elimination bracket based on total points (top score gets the No. 1 seed, second-highest gets No. 2, etc.). There may be first-round byes in the bracket, depending on how many people enter.

Bracket play will be held on "hard" or "expert" mode.

• Korry Keeker can be reached at 523-2268 or korry.keeker@juneauempire.com.