If you’ve been to a show at Vivarium or Turner Hall Ballroom lately, you’ve probably noticed that both venues have fancy new video screens. And you’ve probably noticed something occasionally popping up on those fancy new video screens: Trivia By Milwaukee Record!
Thanks to our friends at the Pabst Theater Group, our home-brewed trivia questions are now part of the pre-show entertainment at Vivarium and Turner Hall. Test your Milwaukee knowledge in our seven website categories: Music, City Life, Food/Drink, Comedy, Film, Arts, and Sports! Think you know all there is to know about random Milwaukee history and/or un-killable hot topics like the Milwaukee flag? Now you can find out!
New questions will appear on Vivarium and Turner Hall screens the first week of every month; old questions (and answers) will be published on Milwaukee Record. Here’s the first batch of questions, which ran in September. Enjoy!
MUSIC
• Name the Pabst Theater artist from this 2024 Milwaukee Record review: “And kudos to _____ for continuing to mix things up. Beloved hits and countless deep cuts? Two nights weren’t enough.” A. They Might Be Giants; B. “Weird Al” Yankovic; C. John Mellencamp; D. Widespread Panic
• Name the Turner Hall artist from this 2015 Milwaukee Record review: “Before the song, _____ admitted she had once ‘made out with a dude from Milwaukee,’ which sent the diverse crowd into lascivious hysterics.” A. St. Vincent; B. Jenny Lewis; C. Neko Case; D. Danielle Haim
• This Chicago band played The Back Room @ Colectivo’s final show on December 15, 2023: A. Wilco; B; Ratboys; C. Dehd; D. Bitchin Bajas
• Name the Riverside Theater artist from this 2023 Milwaukee Record review: “_____ appeared at the piano in a white Stetson porkpie hat, a fitting prop, right out of the old folk standard ‘Stagolee.’” A. Bonnie Raitt; B. Herbie Hancock; C. Bob Dylan; D. Nick Cave
• Who opened for Belle & Sebastian at Pabst Theater in 2015, and then headlined (and sold out!) Pabst Theater in 2018? A. Sharon Van Etten; B. Courtney Barnett; C. Beach House; D. Alvvays
• Name the artist from this Milwaukee Record “Favorite Milwaukee Music of 2023” article: “Thanks to sold-out shows in big venues (Turner Hall) and canceled shows in unlikely venues (Culver’s), ______ was one of the most buzzed-about Milwaukee bands of 2023.” A. Scam Likely; B. Rat Bath; C. Long Mama; D. Bug Moment
CITY LIFE
• How many people attended PrideFest Milwaukee in 2024? A. 40,245; B. 41,820; C. 42,518; D. 43,964
• What year did the long-empty and soon-to-be-razed Northridge Mall close? A. 2001; B. 2002; C. 2003; D. 2004
• ARGUE ABOUT THE STREETCAR! What downtown building does The Hop’s recently opened L-Line travel through? A. City Hall; B. The Couture; C. Northwestern Mutual; D. Milwaukee Art Museum
• Which local celebrity has called Milwaukee “the height of civilization”? A. Giannis Antetokounmpo; B. Bob Uecker; C. Susan Kim; D. Milverine
• Without calling Milwaukee historian John Gurda, what year did the Milwaukee Bridge War take place? A. 1845; B. 1847; C. 1849; D. 1854
• ARGUE ABOUT THE FLAG! What is the official name of the still-unofficial “People’s Flag of Milwaukee”? A. Three Rivers; B. New Day Rising; C. Sunrise Over The Lake; D. Hello Milwaukee
FOOD/DRINK
• This Milwaukee chef competed (and made the finals!) in the latest season of Top Chef: A. Ross Bachhuber; B. Dan Van Rite; C. Angela Wierzbinski; D. Dan Jacobs
• Which of these “food items” is NOT a real finalist in the 2024 Wisconsin State Fair “Sporkies” competition? A. Cool Ranch Doritos Pickle; B. Deep-Fried Kwik Trip Glazer On-A-Stick; C. Elvis Nachos; D. Deep-Fried Lemonade Bites
• What year was Vivarium’s across-the-street neighbor Pizza Shuttle founded? A. 1979; B. 1982; C. 1985; D. 1988
• What is the new-ish name of Milwaukee Record’s long-running Friday fish fry column? A. Enjoy Every Fish Fry; B. Thank Cod It’s Friday; C. Thank Cod It’s Fryday; D. Talkin’ Tatar Sauce
• Kopp’s Frozen Custard has an annual Father’s Day flavor called: A. Daddy’s Home; B. Cargo Shorts Caramel; Old Man And The Sea Salt; D. Nuts For Daddy
• Bay View’s recently opened Wiggle Room is in the space formerly occupied by: A. Hello Falafel; B. Lee’s Luxury Lounge; C. Bella’s Fat Cat; D. Odd Duck
COMEDY
• This ‘90s Milwaukee comedy troupe featured future Community creator Dan Harmon: A. Bee-TV; B. Dead Alewives; C. Pep Rally Players; D. Cream City Comedy
• Name the Turner Hall comedian from this 2023 Milwaukee Record review: “Following a disclaimer announcing the audience was about to see ‘one of the most offensive comedians of all time,’ _______ bounded onto the stage, knocking over his mic stand in the process.” A. Pete Davidson; B. Neil Hamburger; C. Ron Funches; D. Tim Heidecker
• Which comedic duo that played Riverside Theater in 2019 and 2022 said, “I don’t think that our shows are really at all tied to nostalgia. The old hits aren’t brought out. That would be pure nostalgia.” A. Steve Martin and Martin Short; B. Cheech and Chong; C. Tim and Eric; D. Pete and Pete
• Name the Pabst Theater comedian from this 2014 Milwaukee Record review: “_____ started his 70-minute performance with bits about signage, one of which was centered on ‘making doors fight’ by outfitting both sides of a double door with ‘Please use other door’ signs.” A. Patton Oswalt; B. Michael Ian Black; C. Demetri Martin; D. Steven Wright
• Name the Turner Hall comedy team from this 2023 Milwaukee Record interview: “I want at least one Milwaukee Buck to come see the show. Jrue Holiday, if you’re watching this…Khris Middleton, if you see this, come through.” A. The State; B. Please Don’t Destroy; C. Whitest Kids U’Know; D. Broken Lizard
• This comedian said Milwaukee crowds are “unbelievable,” and that Milwaukee “might be my favorite city in the country”: A. Nikki Glaser; B. Charlie Berens; C. Joe Pera; D. Bill Burr
FILM
• How many people attended the 2024 Milwaukee Film Festival? A. 31,237; B. 32,624; C. 34,178; D. 34,666
• Finish this quote from a classic Milwaukee movie: “Is that what you wanna do with your life? Suck down peppermint schnapps and try to call _______ at two in the morning?” A. Madrid; B. Mozambique; C. Mayville; D. Morocco
• When Charlie Sheen was staying in Milwaukee in 1988 for the filming of Major League, thieves broke into his hotel room and stole a .357 Magnum and a cassette tape from what ‘80s hair metal band? A. Bon Jovi; B. Warrant; C. Whitesnake; D. Poison
• Which of these actors was NOT born in Milwaukee? A. Mark Ruffalo; B. Heather Graham; C. Gene Wilder; D. Jane Kaczmarek
• In 1984, a group of Milwaukee mothers picketed area theaters scheduled to screen what controversial horror film? A. A Nightmare On Elm Street; B. The Toxic Avenger; C. Friday The 13th: The Final Chapter; D. Silent Night, Deadly Night
• Which Star Trek actor starred in a 1984 commercial for the Milwaukee County Transit System? A. William Shatner; B. George Takei; C. Leonard Nimoy; D. James Doohan
ARTS
• In a highly scientific 2022 online tournament, Milwaukee Record readers named this person their favorite Wisconsin-born celebrity: A. Gene Wilder; B. Les Paul; C. Curly Lambeau; D. Dunkey
• This future film star was an early member of Milwaukee’s Theatre X: A. Harrison Ford; B. Diane Lane; C. Willem Dafoe; D. Bradley Whitford
• What year did the Baird Center’s beloved “Polka Escalator” take its final spin? A. 2020; B. 2021; C. 2022; D. 2023
• Finish this 2021 Milwaukee Record headline: “I watched a 14-hour video of _______.” A. Downtown traffic; B. A man sitting in a chair; C. Bob Uecker calling home runs; D. David Gruber commercials
• What year did the East Side’s Black Cat Alley open? A. 2012; B. 2014; C. 2016; D. 2018
• Finish this hilariously controversial Fink’s mural from 2015: “_____ Are Boring And Everyone Knows It.” A. Couples; B. Children; C. Drunks; D. Bars
SPORTS
• Local sports novelty songwriter Eddy J. Lemberger wrote this banger for the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021: A. “Bucks In Six”; B. “Got Bucks Lust”; C. “Baby Got Bucks”; D. “Giannis In The Sky”
• In Milwaukee Record’s award-winning “Famous Racing Sausages, ranked” article from 2023, which Famous Racing Sausage came in at No. 1? A. Hot Dog; B. Chorizo; C. Brat; D. Italian
• In Milwaukee Record’s thrilling “Green Bay Packers celebrity fans, ranked” piece from 2019, which fan came in at No. 1? A. Jodie Foster; B. Lil Wayne; C. Joan Jett; D. Baby Yoda
• What year was Milwaukee’s roller derby team, the Brewcity Bruisers, founded? A. 1999; B. 2001; C. 2003; D. 2005
• How many home runs did Bob Uecker hit in his illustrious career as a player? A. 2; B. 7; C. 12; D. 14
• Finish this 2021 Milwaukee Record headline: “Review: Those ____ from Milwaukee Public Market that Coach Budenholzer likes.” A. Sandwiches; B. Cookies; C. Tacos; D. Cupcakes
ANSWERS
MUSIC: A B D C B D
CITY LIFE: D C B D A C
FOOD DRINK: D B C A D B
COMEDY: B D A C B D
FILM: B D C A D B
ARTS: D C D B C A
SPORTS: B C A D D B
Want more Milwaukee Record? Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter and/or support us on Patreon.