Tie dye shirts and peace signs embellished the food stand-filled courtyard as dancers stretched and musicians tuned their instruments in preperation for Air Guitar, Foothill’s annual talent show celebrating the end of the testing season.

“California Standard Tests and AP tests have all concluded, so we like to celebrate that and relax a little bit and [it] also gives some students the opportunity to show their talents,” said Principal Joe Bova.

Science teacher Emily Hunt thought many students had great anticipation of the event.

“My sixth period was so excited for Air Guitar they were squirming in their seats, and when I said go they all bolted out,” said Hunt.

This year’s theme was “Woodstock,” explaining the 70’s mood that accompanied the event.

“We were trying to figure out themes in ASB, and Woodstock seemed like a cool theme, and it also wouldn’t require too much because we already have blankets spread out and it’s already outside on a stage so it was a very fitting theme for it,” said ASB Lunchtime Activities Director and lead Air Guitar Organizer, junior Mallory Mcpherson-Wehan.

Food Fair took place in the quad as well, allowing on-campus clubs to fundraise.

During Food Fair, the house band, Andre and the Giants, who recently played at Schools for Salone benefit concert, opened the event playing the songs “Steady As She Goes” by the Raconteurs, “Heaven” by Los Lonely Boys, and “Can’t Stop” by Red Hot Chili Peppers.

“I’m really glad to see the entire school here, even though they are a captive audience they look like they are having a lot of fun,” said Andre and the Giants member senior Stephen Mariani.

Before the main performance started, Bova announced this year’s recipient of the Tanner Aubert award, freshmen Nicole Rockholt.

Tanner “Tanman” Aubert was a Foothill freshmen during the 2007-2008 school year that suffered from muscular dystrophy. He died during the summer of 2008 due to his illness.

The award goes to a freshmen that exemplifies what Aubert stood for.

“Tanner was often asked why he continued to attend school and work so hard when he knew he would not live past the age of 18,” Bova said. “His response was he didn’t want to die an ignorant person.”

Succeeding the award, junior Kevin Fickenscher began the show with “Nothin’ but a Good Time” by Poison, followed by seniors Yasmin Rivas and Emilie Ghafouri dancing to “He Mele No Lilo” by Mark Keali’i Ho’omalu.

Other musical performances included a Florence and the Machine song by junior Kinsey Thomas, David Guetta’s “Titanium” sung by juniors Hanna Rivera, Emily Sim, and Angela King, and freshman Ashley Amaladhas playing an adapted version of “Radioactive” by Imagine Dragons and “Too Close” by Alex Clare on her violin.

“I was nervous. I knew about air guitar for awhile, before they announced it, so I’ve been preparing for it for a few months,” said Amaladhas. “It honestly feels amazing though and it’s so much fun to perform, it’s a great audience.”

Freshman Camille Spittle followed up playing along to a song on a drumset, preceding senior David Hernandez breakdancing for his final year at Air Guitar.

Senior Andre Sehati, ASB president and lead singer of Andre and the Giants, looked forward to Hernandez’s performance.

“It’s my favorite act. I wait for it every year and it just gets better and better,” said Sehati.

Other musical talents included a song by brothers sophomore Nick and freshman Michael Vaughan, Rihanna’s “Stay” performed by junior Talia Aharon-Ezer, “Lovesong” by Adele, originally by The Cure, sung by senior Marnie Vaughn, an adapted version of “Give Me Love” by Ed Sheeran sung by junior Blake Silva, and a three-movement show by the Buena drum line called “Without you by my side I am alone.”

Concluding the event, Foothill junior Michael Morales along with his band, The Special Guests, played the Carlos Santana cover of “Black Magic Women,” but were encouraged by the cheering crowd to perform an encore.

With an unscheduled song, the band concluded the festivities with “Wetsuit” by the Vaccines.

“The audience was just great and into it and really energized and sort of fed us,” said lead singer and guitarist junior Matthew Goodkin-Gold. “I would just like to thank the people here because only one of us is actually a student here and they are just really receptive and just a great group of people.”

At the end of the event, Bova announced the winners of the talent show. Silva won third place, Amaladhas followed in second, and finally Aharon-Ezer came in first place.

Senior Daisy Ahlstone thought Aharon-Ezer’s winning was well placed.

“Me and my friends liked Talia the most, she was the most nonconventional but still was really good, [and] everyone was good, but she just took it to a different level and was totally her own,” said Ahlstone.

Some students expressed her concerns that this year’s Air Guitar was lacking.

“It was disappointing that the teachers didn’t do anything,” said sophomore Alie Oleson.

Mathematics teacher and Air Guitar judge Anthony Villa says the decision to not have a teacher performance was to allot more slots for students.

Twenty-six acts auditioned this year, but only 14 made the cut for the event.

“There were a lot of student acts this year, and that is the true focus of Air Guitar, so mainly they had to ensure as many students as possible could be featured,” said Villa.

Villa feels the event went over well.

“We have a lot to be thankful for. The event is meant to be a celebration of the student body’s efforts over weeks of testing and a showcase for the talents that our students have aside from the ability to bubble a Scantron,” said Villa. “We all got to enjoy the weather that other cities envy and watch an event that many take for granted.”

Credit: Bethany Fankhauser & Natalie Smith/The Foothill Dragon Press

Credit: Emily Chacon, Bridget Parrino & Kazu Koba/The Foothill Dragon Press