Written by: Leyton Furlong
On a back road south of town, you’ll stumble upon a large black and red barndominium. Although a common sight in this part of the country, the contents of the building are anything but common. Jack’s Animatronic Warehouse holds one of the last surviving, fully functional Rockafire Explosion animatronic bands known to still exist. These robots were once the face of the proud Showbiz Pizza restaurant chain that was popular in the 1980s. Of the 300 Rockafire Explosion bands manufactured for Showbiz, only about 5 are known to still survive in working order.
How Jack got into it
Most people alive today have some knowledge of Showbiz Pizza, whether they know it or not. Older locals remember going to see the band play at the location on the Belt Highway, and most of Gen Z (including myself) remember being terrorized by the haunted animatronics of the Five Nights at Freddy’s game series, which were directly inspired by the ones at Showbiz Pizza. Jack Turner, the young owner of the animatronics, fell into the latter category. His fascination with the Five Nights at Freddy’s series led him to discover the lost world of the Showbiz Pizza and the Rockafire Explosion. Jack quickly became enamored, and by 2015, he and his family had begun the process of restoring as many animatronis as possible.
A show rebuilt from the ground up
I spoke with Jack, who gave me a rundown of what goes on in his workshop and the history behind what he calls “the greatest animatronic band ever made.” As one of the last fully functioning Rock-afire Explosion shows, die-hard fans from across the country have traveled to St. Joseph to watch the robotic animals come to life once again and perform in front of a live audience. The room was filled with additional animatronics he had acquired and was working on fixing up for future use. In the center of the room was a large stage recreated entirely from the original Showbiz Pizza blueprints. Jack showed me two short videos going over both the history of Showbiz and how he got into the hobby.
According to Jack, Showbiz Pizza was first opened in Kansas City, MO, in 1980 by hotel magnate Robert Brock and engineer Aaron Fetcher. Robert initially became a franchisee of Chuck E. Cheese restaurants to capitalize on the success of the arcade/pizzeria boom of the late 70s. However, dissatisfied with the poor quality of the Chuck E. Cheese animatronics and learning about Aaron Fetcher’s superior animatronic company, Creative Engineering, the two conspired to rebel against Chuck E. Cheese and instead open up their competitor, Showbiz Pizza. By 1985, the two companies merged after Chuck E. Cheese filed for bankruptcy. However, a dispute between Creative Engineering and the two conspired to rebel against Chuck E. Cheese and instead open up their competitor, Showbiz Pizza. By 1985, the two companies merged after Chuck E. Cheese filed for bankruptcy. However, a dispute between Creative Engineering and Showbiz over the rights to the animatronics led to the company being rebranded as Chuck E. Cheese and nearly all of the original animatronics being refitted as Chuck E. Cheese Characters by 1993.
Showbiz Pizza was gone, but the Rockafire Explosion managed to survive. Unlike other surviving bands, Jack had to start nearly from scratch. After fixing and reselling animatronics, he was finally able to acquire the frames for the entire band in 2019. Aaron Fetcher, who Jack described as his mentor, gave him the original cosmetic design plans for the animatronics, which allowed him to refurbish the animatronics with pinpoint attention to detail. With help from his family, the stage was set (quite literally) for the band to make their comeback in July of 2023. With the original tapes from the 11980s and with the original controls in place, the Rockafire Explosion played in St. Joseph for the first time in 36 years.
When the band played, I was half expecting it to be stiff robotic motions with some audio effects. However, the movements were so precise and coordinated, they almost seemed ‘real’. The original skits were clever and charming, and the band performed its own covers of songs from the 60s and 70s. It’s all very intrinsic, with every small motion needing to be adjusted. According to Jack, choreographing a minute of a new song can take up to a week.
More than one band
Other than the functioning band, Jack has some other noteworthy items in his collection. Near the stage was the husk of a creepy old Uncle Klunk animatronic. According to Jack, Uncle Klunk was one of the most advanced animatronics that Creative Engineering ever worked on and was able to pick up phones and bananas for his skits. The robot’s unsettling appearance earned it the nickname of “the abomination” by Creative Engineering staff; a popular internet legend holds that Uncle Klunk’s news report skits are a harbinger of imminent doom. Whether or not Jack’s Uncle Klunk will be able to predict the end of the world will have to wait until Jack completes his restoration.
One of Jack’s most prized possessions is the remains of the Gaslight Jamboree band. These three animatronics are thought to have been the very first that Aaron Fetcher ever worked on. Originally a display at Gaslight Village theme park, these animatronics were recovered from a scrapyard in Tennessee and are awaiting restoration. According to Jack, the decayed black bear animatronic, “Friendly Freddy,” may have been the precursor to Freddy Fazbear and the Five Nights at Freddy’s franchise.
Tours and booking
Jack has provided guided tours of the facilities for many guests over the years, including eight original workers of the former Showbiz Pizzaplace in town. Officially, prices are $450 for a two-hour tour for groups of five (pricing and options vary; confirm when booking). Although expensive, Jack explained that this tour is meant for groups of die-hard fans looking for a more personal Rockfire Experience. However, Jack has stated that he is open to some group options, such as school field trips and group tours for anyone interested in robotics. In addition, Jack’s sells original fur patterns, latex masks, and a whole host of materials to help people repair their own animatronics. Most interestingly, the fact that the upper floor of the warehouse has been converted into a country styled AirBNB with a five-night stay. Meaning, yes, you can hypothetically spend Five Nights at (Friendly) Freddy’s.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
To learn about booking, visit their WEBSITE
Check out Jack’s YouTube Channel at LINK
For information about the Red Barn loft, visit LINK
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