History

Max Employment Music For The Mission was first staged in 2003 as ‘Music for the Masses’ when David Walch (The Quizzer of Oz) decided he wanted to combine his love of music with his love of writing quiz nights to produce a quality music quiz. David decided to stage the event at his own risk and donate all profits to the Hobart City Mission.

Flying by the seat of his pants, David put together an event that attracted a sell-out crowd of 300 people to a new and fairly small venue in Hobart. Inspired by this success and the resoundingly positive reviews of participants,  Music for the Masses became an annual event.

Since then it has outgrown 3 venues before ending up in Tasmania’s biggest indoor venue, the Derwent Entertainment Centre in Glenorchy, where it continues to sell to capacity year after year.

In 2007 David made the decision to attempt the Guinness World Record for “largest quiz – single venue” and the resulting crowd of 1,324 people easily beat the existing record. The record has since been overtaken by a quiz in India, with an attendance that cannot be matched at any Tasmanian venue.

The event was known as ‘Music for the Masses’ until the 2008 event, after which the event name was changed to the current Music for the Mission. 2008 also saw the first time that the event was a true joint venture of The Quizzer of Oz and the Hobart City Mission, with the Mission taking over most of the administration for the event, allowing David to focus on event content, performer co-ordination, staging and marketing – a relationship that continues in 2009.

2003 - Turnbull's Function Centre, North Hobart - 300 participants (30 tables - sold out)

2004 - Federation Ballroom, Hotel Grand Chancellor - 570 participants (65 tables)

2005 - Federation Ballroom, Hotel Grand Chancellor - 820 participants (85 tables - sold out)

2006 - Derwent Entertainment Centre - 1,195 participants (120 tables - sold out)

2007 - Derwent Entertainment Centre - 1,324 participants (145 tables - sold out)

2008 - Derwent Entertainment Centre - 1,310 participants (145 tables - sold out)

2009 - Derwent Entertainment Centre - 1,254 participants

This event has raised more than A$150,000 for the Hobart City Mission. Neither David nor any of his team of scorers, performers and helpers takes any fee for their work on Max Employment Music for the Mission.

Past Winners

As well as a big selection of great prizes, the winning team also get individual trophies, and their team name on our perpetual shield (on display at the Hobart City Mission).

Our previous winners are:

2009: Bad Case Of Loving Ewes

2008: Unstoppable Sex Machine

2007: Spotless Minds

2006: Imbibo Ergo Sum

2005: Imbibo Ergo Sum

2004: Skullduggery

2003: Skullduggery

Previous Year's Rounds

2005
Movie Star – songs written for movies
Thank You For The Music – a bit of everything
Look What They’ve Done To My Song – cover versions and commercials
You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away – obscure songs by very famous acts
Revolution– songs of protest and rebellion
What Are Words For? – famous lyrics
Singing In The 80s – eighties music
Sounds Of Then (This Is Australia) – Aussie hits of the past 

2006
The Best Disco In Town - disco
You Won’t Succeed On Broadway – musical theatre
History Never Repeats – music from history (pre rock ‘n’ roll)
It Was 20 Years Ago Today – the best of 1986
Soul Man – soul and blues
She’s So Modern – songs from 2003-2006
Trick Bag – songs ‘tricked up’ – played backwards etc
When We Was Fab – The Beatles

2007
It Was 20 Years Ago Today – the best of 1987
Oh Carol; A Hymn To Her – Christmas carols and hymns
Lucky Number – songs with numerical references
The Weird Al Show – the best of ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic
Guitar Man – songs played by “guitar men” Linc Le Fevre, Cameron Hellinga, Tony Makro and Daryl Peebles 
Noughty Boy – songs of 2000-2007
Rockin’ All Over The World – songs with geographical references
People – songs about or referencing real people

2008
Walkin’ The Dog – songs about or referencing dogs
Classic – classical music & songs from before rock ‘n’ roll
Fame – Tasmanian celebrities sing their favourite songs
It Was 20 Years Ago Today – the best of 1988
Five Years – songs from 2003-2008
I’m A Little Bit Country, I’m A Little Bit Rock ’n’ Roll – country and country-rock
Long Long Way To Go – long songs and the bands that perform them
Calling Elvis – the best of Elvis Presley

2009
Dancin' In The Street – 50 years of Motown
I Still Call Australia Home – Aussie made
Body Language – songs with a non-English language component
Jailhouse Rock – songs and bands with jail connections
Father's Day – songs about fatherhood
Jesus Is Just Alright – songs and bands that reference religion
Wish You Were Here – artists who didn't live to see 40
It Was 20 Years Ago Today – the best of 1989

Past Performers

2009: Amali Ward, Andrew Colrain, Colin Dean

2008: Colin Dean, Di Richards, Nick Monk, Chelle Burtt, Nicole Simms, Scott Farrow, Styne Ashton, Sophie Sangwell, Darren Sangwell, Neil Rowe, Rob Valentine, Adriana Taylor, Peter Gee, Michael Hodgman, Tori & the Saint, cast of Beauty & the Beast and Jake & Elwood from The Blues Brothers.

2007: Colin Dean, Di Richards, Nick Monk, Chelle Burtt, Nicole Simms, Scott Farrow, Styne Ashton, Sophie Bishop, Darren Sangwell, Carole Williams, Rowena Leonard, Rob Valentine, Linc Le Fevre, Tony Makrogamvrakis and Cameron Hellinga.

2006: Colin Dean, Di Richards, Nick Monk, Chelle Burtt, Nicole Simms, Scott Farrow, Styne Ashton, Sophie Bishop, Darren Sangwell.

2005: Colin Dean, Di Richards, Maryanne Lewis, Carole Williams, Chelle Burtt, Neil Rowe, Styne Ashton

2004: Colin Dean, Di Richards, Nicole Simms, Scott Farrow, Maryanne Lewis, Carole Williams, Chelle Burtt, Sophie Bishop, Darren Sangwell, Nick Monk, Neil Rowe, Styne Ashton

2003: Colin Dean, Di Richards, Ben Van Tienen, Simone Yemm, Lincoln Le Fevre, Amanda Harper

Helpers & Volunteers

These are those people who give their time and expertise each year to help set up, score and/or lend us their computers.

From 2003-2007 Keith Carroll was instrumental in designing the scoring systems and the look of the show, a role taken over by Marc Portlock and Cameron Geeves from 2008 onwards.

2009: Marc Portlock, Cameron Geeves, Guy Phillips, Phil Paterson, Simon Braham, Eliot Ward, Kata Skratulja, Leez Robertson, Sarah Shirley, Will Pridmore, Jess Morley, Angie Blackwell, Jess Walch, Adelaide Reisz, Graham Keogh, Leanne Hellinga, Cameron Hellinga, Monica Hellinga, Kathy Talbot, Matthew Brooks, Miranda Wood, Heather Jackson, Gina Wilson, Dara Loncar, Gerardine Trainor, Carina Ottway, Liz Blackwell, Letitia Blackwell, Emma Gould, Heather Cooper, Narelle Monk, Karen Fahey, Stacey Patterson.

2008: Marc Portlock, Cameron Geeves, Carolyn Potter, Penni Walch, Mary Tosic, Phil Paterson, Ana Marin, Leez Morley, Tony Makrogamvrakis, Adelaide Reisz, Jack Fennell, Ross Jeffrey, Glen Blackburn, Graham Keogh, David Bowerman, Leanne Hellinga, Cameron Hellinga, Monica Hellinga, Scott Harper, Stacey Harper, Amy Goodwin, Kathy Talbot, Sera Goldstone, Matthew Brooks, Miranda Wood, Heather Jackson, Gina Wilson.

2007: Keith Carroll, Carole Williams, Rowena Leonard, Daryl Peebles, Sarah Fitzpatrick, Carolyn Potter, Mandy Menzie, Sylvia Sherriff, Penni Walch, Neil Rowe, Leanne Hellinga, Monica Hellinga, Kelly Ashton, Andrew Pilcher, Scott Harper, Stacey Harper, Neville Barnard, Amanda Harper, Amy Goodwin, Kathy Talbot, Miranda Wood, Heather Jackson, Gina Wilson, Darrin Smith.

2006: Keith Carroll, Neil Rowe, Scott Harper, Stacey Harper, Leanne Hellinga, Darrin Smith, Heather Jackson, Penni Rendell, Amy Goodwin, David Allen, Amanda Harper, Sera Goldstone, Monica Hellinga, Andrew Pilcher, Miranda Wood, Kelly Ashton..

2005: Keith Carroll, Scott Harper, Stacey Harper, Leanne Hellinga, Darrin Smith, Gina Wilson, Penni Rendell, Amy Goodwin, David Allen.

2004: Keith Carroll, Scott Harper, Stacey Harper, Carolyn Potter, Leanne Hellinga, Michael Adams, Darrin Smith, Gina Wilson, Penni Rendell.

2003: Keith Carroll, Scott Harper, Stacey Harper, Carolyn Potter, Leanne Hellinga, Michael Adams.