The open church of RocKwiz

Most television quiz shows would never dream of lighting the studio without having thoroughly screened their contestants for fear of things going wrong.

But for 10 years SBS music show RocKwiz has chosen its participants on the night, at its home in The Esplanade Hotel, St. Kilda. In by-passing traditional casting paths, it has attracted a diverse mix of individuals, young, old, and even disabled.

“It’s always been people from the room on the night and I think it’s a bit unusual. It doesn’t happen anywhere,” says host Julia Zemiro.

“As far as I know we’re the only quiz show that’s had someone with Asperger’s, autism, someone who was almost-legally blind. We’re an open church.

“So whoever has the goods will get up there. Every now and then there’s someone who is an amazing singer. And even the ones who can’t sing, we love.”

Of course there is a preliminary screening, albeit at the last minute, in the hands of co-creator and adjudicator Brian Nankervis.

“Brian runs a mini-Rockwiz where he brings up 24 people to find the best 4. It’s good to have a preliminary round because some people think they can do it, they know it at home on the couch, but on stage in front of everybody it’s a rabbit in the headlights,” she says.

“So there are cards in the audience with 10 questions and he says ‘If you think you can answer most of those questions, come up. If you can’t then please don’t come up, because I will make fun of you!’”

Does that mean there are risks of contestants not performing well? Rarely says Zemiro, with the show having some 180 episodes under its belt.

“The only thing that’s gone really wrong happened early, in Series 2 or 3 and we quickly cottoned onto it, when we had a couple of guys in different shows who were extremely competitive and just buzzed in all the time. You could feel the audience turning against them. It was just a lack of generosity,” she explains.

“So from that day we’ve always said to the contestants, ‘If you feel you’re dominating and you’ve answered 6 in a row, you might just want to back off a bit and share it amongst the group.’

“It’s saying ‘It’s not about you, it’s about everyone.’ And it’s rarely happened again since.”

At 6 episodes, this season is down from last year’s 14 but the crew has turned it into a positive by theming its episodes around musical decades. Zemiro is surprised how well the format variation has worked.

“We’re doing the’ 50s right through to the naughties and we actually thought it would hamstring us a bit but it turned out really great. Every show has a different flavour and we enjoyed sitting in the music of that era. We were surprised how many young people knew about old stuff and vice versa,” she explains.

The first episode begins with the 1950s and welcomes guests Caitlin Park, Joe Camilleri, Katie Noonan and Col Joye.

“Col Joye was genuinely hilarious: funny, switched-on, confident, way funnier than me. He had amazing timing,” she recalls.

“To be with us and to share those incredible stories of having worked with people like Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis …it was mental!

“The 90s and naughties episodes had younger, vibrant contestants who were so into their music and knew what they were doing, that it was a delight.”

Other episodes also feature an array of the musical elite all of whom take their turn at the trivia questions when they are not performing.

“Julia Stone, Connie Mitchell, Vance Joy, John Butler, Kate Ceberano, Paul Kelly, are all doing songs you wouldn’t expect. They’re not doing their own music. And I think that was a great attraction (for them). Some did sing their own songs as well, it just depends.

“We’re thrilled that the level is so high and that we attract amazing people to come and do duets.”

Having just finished her annual Eurovision commitments in Vienna, Zemiro will now be seen on two networks, with Julia Zemiro’s Home Delivery returning to ABC next week.

With so much work in the can, it’s surely time for her to enjoy a little downtime?

“I’m having a little holiday in Denmark by train! It means I will have to practice my Danish. Then when I get back I’ve just moved into a new flat so I will be unpacking some boxes!”

RocKwiz returns 8:30pm Saturday on SBS ONE.