Although many trivia nights center around music, they’re often marked by the sound of silence. Isolated groups strain their ears to hear snippets of a song. Hunched over tables, participants gently whisper as they scribble guesses on pieces of paper. After a quick yell or groan when the answer is announced, they return to being quiet.
Bak Zoumanigui felt there had to be a better way.
Over the last three years, the event producer has developed the most spirited, interactive music trivia game in the capital city, featuring a DJ and emcee, raucous on-stage challenges, and lively crowds that jump to their feet and dance.
His recurring program, Record Play, was borne out of a desire for new ways to socialize. A Senegal native who grew up near Paris, Zoumanigui moved to Austin in 1998 as a teenager. After earning his degree from UT’s McCombs School, he became a developer at a software education company, but in his heart, he loved the nightlife scene.
“I’m a music fan, and I enjoy dancing, so I was a downtown rat for years,” he says. “I became friends with a lot of people in the entertainment industry in Austin.”
Zoumanigui began to produce events, from fundraisers to dance parties, and ran his own blog and podcast called The FeedBak. But over time, he grew tired of the late-night experience. “I became a father, and I wanted to create a space where I can have people around my age come out and have a good time and do it around music and games.”
While he initially developed a bingo night, the event planner soon realized it was too passive. So, in September 2022, he launched Record Play at the Pershing. During the game, guests sit together on couches and at tables while a DJ spins and an emcee hypes the crowd. They interact for four rounds of trivia, with unique questions from lesser-known facts about song lyrics to seeing what details you can spot in music videos. After each round, members from the highest-scoring teams are pulled onto the stage for challenges to win prizes like Slab BBQ gift baskets or Creek and the Cave show tickets. The contestants duke it out in rowdy competitions such as dance battles, musical chairs, and the event’s signature dare, autotune karaoke.
“I can change your voice as you’re singing. I can give you a baby voice, I can give you a robot voice, I can give you a straight-up autotune voice.” Zoumanigui says of the unique challenge. As for the dance battles, he notes, “We’ve had people doing back flips.”
Occurring around five times a year, Record Play features themes like One-Hit Wonders, R&B Night, ’90s Pop, and Divas (think Mariah and Whitney). Regulars book up spots as soon as it’s announced, but the event also draws a diverse group of newcomers who are looking for something different. “Music always brings people together,” Zoumanigui says, “but when you make it a [trivia] show where you have a DJ and an emcee that’s engaging, it’s not just like going to a club or a bar.” recordplaylive.com
Great Job Madeline Hollern & the Team @ Austin Monthly Magazine Source link for sharing this story.
