Historic Footage Reveals Air Guitar Originated in Hampstead
British suburb predates Woodstock craze with performance art roots
Newly surfaced archival footage has revealed that the first known instance of air guitar performance took place in Hampstead, London, predating its popular association with Woodstock.
The video, shot in the late 1960s, shows artists mimicking guitar solos as part of a performance art piece.
Historians say the discovery redefines the cultural origins of the phenomenon, positioning Britain as its unlikely birthplace.