UPDATED SLIDESHOW: Trivial Pursuit game gets serious
Wed, 12/30/2009
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It is 8:00 p.m. Tuesday night, Dec. 29, and 10 teams with 70 members, a caller, onlookers, and servers fill the rear room of the Feedback Lounge at Morgan Junction as they do every Tuesday night to play "It's Only Rock 'N' Roll" Rock Trivia," a musical trivia pursuit game. But there’s nothing trivial about the hard-edged competitive spirit in the air. And this competition is getting more serious, and crowded, every week.
"More and more people keep showing up," said "Chachi" the caller, who is actually Charlie Beck with the popular Seattle band Memphis Radio Kings. Participants say he is a good fit for the role with his jovial stage presence and musical know-how. The "non-winners," as he calls them, from the previous week come up with a theme, and he comes up with the questions.
Each team is allowed up to six players. There are four rounds of 11 questions each. The two-dollar entry fees are divvied up and awarded to the top winners. Feedback Lounge also awards discount coupons to many of the players.
This week's theme was "Years" because of the new year. Questions included, "Who wrote 'Year of the Cat?" -Al Stewart.
"Zager and Evans sang about this particular year." -'In the Year 2525.'
Of course, iPhones and other electronic devices must be turned off during the competition.
"People love that whole continuity of coming each week, and that whole sense of community and ruthless competition," added Beck.
Beck pointed out that Tuesdays are usually official release dates for record labels' new CD's. Some contact Feedback Lounge owner Jeff Gilbert to use his venue to launch their CD on some of the trivia nights.
"I've helped incorporate the new CD's into my trivia questions," said Beck. "The labels and bands love it. Being a musician I like the contact with the labels. Everybody wins."
The 10 teams competing included the Velvet Tonsils, Bad News Bears, TV Funhouse, and Team FunBlog, who show up weekly. This week the winner was Fireball to the Dressing Room, with five team members. Two included Jason Fitzgerald and Oliver Little who book the bands for West Seattle Summer Fest. They also play in a band.
"Rock Trivia attracts an eclectic group of people currently and previously involved with the music industry, including musicians, as well as those of us just out to have fun," said "Luigi Linguini," the patriarch of Team FunBlog. They placed third, although there was a tie for second.
But the night was not all fun for Team Charlie's Angels.
"I am intensely disappointed about our placing, said Angel, Heather Enajibi, a Tuesday night regular, known in the area as president of Animals First Foundation. They placed 6th. "I expected 2nd place or better."
"I came to visit friends," said Tracy Dart of Cherry Consignment near the Junction. She is a West Seattle fixture also know for her "Team Tracy" breast cancer fundraising.
"I'm not very good with this trivia," she admitted. "I have been on teams. I'm here for moral support. But I did know who wrote 'Don’t Worry Be Happy.'" (Bobby McFerrin)
Beck, who does charity work both for the Animals First Foundation and breast cancer research, acknowledged that not all the questions pertained to rock music or the "year" theme.
"I like to throw in a different kind of question now and then," he said, adding wryly, "It's my show."
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