[ad_1]
| The Daily Herald
It’s been a rough year for the entertainment industry, not just artists and performers canceling tours and shows, but with the audience having no place to unwind.
Perhaps, “a place to go bananas” is a more appropriate phrase.
The past few months have seen many local restaurants, breweries and venues reopen, with live music occurring every weekend in Columbia. It’s great to see the rotating roster of musicians each week, providing a much-needed pallet cleanser as all the major events remain on hold.
I’ve always been a believer that the outdoor setting is the proper way for music and entertainment to return to the masses. It’ll just take the right venue, the right safety preparations, as well as a good investor with money and a vision. There’s also the whole “everyone getting with the picture” by behaving properly and respecting the rules. Sounds simple, right?
Two Columbia entrepreneurs are trying to make that dream a reality by opening a brand new outdoor venue just a few miles from downtown, and it might be just what we need at a time when our options are limited..
Seth DeFeo and Brice Isabell of Columbia recently founded Monkey Bones Productions, a new entertainment company which purchased 16 acres of land off Bear Creek Pike and Rally Hill Road. The new venue, which will be located at 2000 Donra Way, is currently under construction, but is set to open in September.
Even though a visit to the property will have to wait until another time, I was able to catch up with the Monkey Bones staff this week, where I got the lowdown on how it all started, as well as all the fun events they have planned for the upcoming Halloween season.
The idea for Monkey Bones actually began when Isbabell made a phone call from, of all places, a port-a-potty. As longtime Columbia residents, he and DeFeo had witnessed the recent growth in Maury County, as well as so many major events come and go, without ever having the kind of “sticking power” they felt the community deserved, especially for younger people.
Seeing their community as a place ripe with potential, they figured “Why don’t we just do it ourselves, create the type of venue we’ve always wanted here?”
“I am still baffled that with all the growing I have seen from Spring Hill, that the issues still stand,” DeFeo said. “I want to change that.”
Executive Creative Producer Willie May said the facility will play host to several annual events, as well as attracting national acts and partnerships with local businesses. Mostly, they just want a place where people can come and appreciate the “experience.”
“They’ve been living here all their life, and they really want to do something that will appeal to the younger market here,” May said. “It’s about capturing those moments you get from the experience, which is something we need in today’s times with everything going on. When we’re so divided, let’s figure out a way to come together, to have fun together, and that’s our plan overall for what we want to do.”
The haunting season is almost upon us, and Monkey Bones has more than an extensive background in the local haunt culture. Its first major event will be Cryptid Trails, an immersive “haunted maze” of sorts, where the group’s fate is determined by certain decisions made throughout the course.
“The group will choose their fate, and everything is very story-driven,” May said. “We want to bring the fright.”
It is also being designed to accommodate social distancing and public safety precautions, making for a safe environment for visitors, but also giving them the full experience they’re paying for. This includes limiting capacity, recommending face coverings and administering temperature screenings to all guests and staff upon entry.
For more information on Cryptid Trails, visit www.CryptidTrails.com.
Part of the attraction’s design is to “make the scares as real as possible,” which is accomplished by, of all things, going to the source. Another aspect of Monkey Bones is conducting paranormal research, visiting alleged haunted sites around the Southern region and collecting “evidence” for future haunts.
“We’ve dealt with the ‘real thing’ and formed a paranormal team with a few friends of ours, which was a challenge to see if we could ‘deal with it,'” May said. “It’s about creating frightful scares in our heads and trying to make it a reality so the guests get the experience.”
Bringing another popular haunt to Columbia is only the beginning, however, as the new venue plans to operate year-round. This will include working with local small businesses, farmers and artisans to create new flea and farmers markets, hosting other holiday events, concerts and public gatherings, all within a safe and well-maintained environment.
There will be more coverage of Monkey Business’ new venture as the fall season approaches. It is a worthwhile venture that is trying to do something different, while also giving the community a step up in regards to local entertainment, especially during a time when the opportunities are scarce.
Jay Powell is a reporter for The Daily Herald. Contact him at jpowell@c-dh.net or follow him on Twitter @JayPowell CDH.
[ad_2]
Source link