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Loud and chaotic, but why? |
Todd - Black Orchard is a new haunt for us so going in, we had no expectations or hint of what stile of haunt it is. If I had to sum it up in two words, it would be BARNYARD CHAOS. But is the chaos enough?
The premise is that this barn is the home of Black Orchard Meats, run by two brothers – Stich and Theodore – and their family. From what I was able to gather through the introduction and the actors in the beginning, this family is also a small cult who worship birds….or bird people…or buzzards….something like that, which are viewed as some kind of deities. It was a little hard to take it all in – more on that later.
The set up for this experience was kicked off pretty well – we immediately encountered a few very….rural folk, one which I’ll refer to as the milk man because he spent a number of minutes in this area asking us to sample his milk, which is apparently only 30% actual milk. I wish not to know what the other 70% is. This first area is a hairpin path outside the barn which looks pretty much like the outside of a barn – some fencing, random objects stacked about with a few actors, milk man included, roaming around. As we approached the barn, we encountered the second-most dialog-heavy actor, a English accented girl who more or less warned us about the going ons regarding the family. Apparently this is frowned upon by the locals as she was promptly killed for doing so.
Once inside the barn, we met the brothers and were provided the backstory mentioned earlier. Describing this haunt is a challenge to put into words. Environmentally, it’s themed very well. It looks like a barn (with rooms built up) from start to finish. Everything you’d expect to see is there – animal cages, old tools, aging junk stashed away, etc. There’s no hidden surprises, like it looks like a barn on the outside but inside it’s really an advanced alien laboratory or anything like that. What really establishes the sinister side of it is the utilization of sound and light. Walking through a barn isn’t the most enthralling experience, but inside Black Orchard, there’s more going on.
From room to room – a wide array of lighting is used to disorient you. Some rooms are conventionally lit, while others are fairly dark. Some areas have strobing light, while others have flickering lights. My favorite room by far was memorable because the only light came from an old camera flash that went off every 6 or 7 seconds. Two actors were in some kind of struggle and we couldn’t see much of anything util that flash went off for a split second, followed by the high pitch whine of it recharging – very cool effect.
As for sound, well, Black Orchard is LOUD. In this regard, I was reminded of Haunted Hotel because music is blaring throughout the entire inside part of the haunt, which is about 90% of it. For the most part, this isn’t an issue and actually lends to the overall disorientation they no doubt want you to experience. However, the music was also very loud during the introduction at the beginning – so much so that it was hard to hear the set up being presented to us, which is why I had to guess what the premise was. I run a recorder for voice notes throughout haunts and the music was so loud that even on the recording it was hard to hear what was being said at times within the playback. Between the inconsistent lighting and the audio assaulting your hearing, all you can really do is focus on navigating the irregular twist and turns of the layout and the uneven ground throughout.
Most of the actors inside do not have a large speaking role, so the loud backing audio is not disruptive. There is an excessive amount of screaming. Loud screaming. Beyond the brothers’ introduction, none of the actors really did much to lend to any kind of interaction (except for the “Choke my chicken” guy)…most of them just screamed and/or banged on something metal to make more noise. It’s a little disappointing because they clearly have a TON of energy and it felt like some of that is going to waste with limited interaction. As for the birds, well, there were some dead birds found throughout but just in random places (I remember one being in a wheelbarrow). From the setup, I thought we would encounter some kind of strange, ritualistic alter with offerings to some godly bird. Nope. Or maybe that’s because I didn’t accurately understand what was going on.
The end of the haunt was a very small outside area leading to the exit outside the barn, nothing overly special there, though I did notice a number of human-sized crucifixes laying on their sides among the debris (nice touch).
I walked away from Black Orchard trying to digest what I experienced and it really just felt like a big wad of stimulation. Or maybe I had a hard time processing it because of all of that stimulation. There were a few stand-out elements as I mentioned, but despite it being sensory overload, it didn’t feel too memorable for me. I have to hand it to the actors – they were bursting with energy, but aside from the two that contributed to the story, it was mostly just a bunch of screaming and groaning. Surely this would be rattling to someone with a weak constitution, but that’s not me. Nothing about it felt scary or eerie; just more so threatening or aggressive but without any apparent reason. It felt as if everything was going on because it was simply there. For such a great opener, the remainder of the haunt failed to follow through.
Black Orchard has a wealth of potential. The cast and the sets clearly demonstrate that, but I left trying to understand what exactly was going on in there. Why are family members constantly screaming at us? Are we supposed to be the next meat source? If it’s meat facility, why didn’t we see much of anything having to do with meat processing (I saw one corner with rotating saw blades)? I appreciate controlled pandemonium as much as any haunt fanatic, but Black Orchard felt like it can’t stand out on that alone. It needs more and I find myself frustrated, unable to put a finger on what it is. Despite that, I really look forward to seeing how this haunt expands refines itself in the future. It certainly left me wanting more.
The premise is that this barn is the home of Black Orchard Meats, run by two brothers – Stich and Theodore – and their family. From what I was able to gather through the introduction and the actors in the beginning, this family is also a small cult who worship birds….or bird people…or buzzards….something like that, which are viewed as some kind of deities. It was a little hard to take it all in – more on that later.
The set up for this experience was kicked off pretty well – we immediately encountered a few very….rural folk, one which I’ll refer to as the milk man because he spent a number of minutes in this area asking us to sample his milk, which is apparently only 30% actual milk. I wish not to know what the other 70% is. This first area is a hairpin path outside the barn which looks pretty much like the outside of a barn – some fencing, random objects stacked about with a few actors, milk man included, roaming around. As we approached the barn, we encountered the second-most dialog-heavy actor, a English accented girl who more or less warned us about the going ons regarding the family. Apparently this is frowned upon by the locals as she was promptly killed for doing so.
Once inside the barn, we met the brothers and were provided the backstory mentioned earlier. Describing this haunt is a challenge to put into words. Environmentally, it’s themed very well. It looks like a barn (with rooms built up) from start to finish. Everything you’d expect to see is there – animal cages, old tools, aging junk stashed away, etc. There’s no hidden surprises, like it looks like a barn on the outside but inside it’s really an advanced alien laboratory or anything like that. What really establishes the sinister side of it is the utilization of sound and light. Walking through a barn isn’t the most enthralling experience, but inside Black Orchard, there’s more going on.
From room to room – a wide array of lighting is used to disorient you. Some rooms are conventionally lit, while others are fairly dark. Some areas have strobing light, while others have flickering lights. My favorite room by far was memorable because the only light came from an old camera flash that went off every 6 or 7 seconds. Two actors were in some kind of struggle and we couldn’t see much of anything util that flash went off for a split second, followed by the high pitch whine of it recharging – very cool effect.
As for sound, well, Black Orchard is LOUD. In this regard, I was reminded of Haunted Hotel because music is blaring throughout the entire inside part of the haunt, which is about 90% of it. For the most part, this isn’t an issue and actually lends to the overall disorientation they no doubt want you to experience. However, the music was also very loud during the introduction at the beginning – so much so that it was hard to hear the set up being presented to us, which is why I had to guess what the premise was. I run a recorder for voice notes throughout haunts and the music was so loud that even on the recording it was hard to hear what was being said at times within the playback. Between the inconsistent lighting and the audio assaulting your hearing, all you can really do is focus on navigating the irregular twist and turns of the layout and the uneven ground throughout.
Most of the actors inside do not have a large speaking role, so the loud backing audio is not disruptive. There is an excessive amount of screaming. Loud screaming. Beyond the brothers’ introduction, none of the actors really did much to lend to any kind of interaction (except for the “Choke my chicken” guy)…most of them just screamed and/or banged on something metal to make more noise. It’s a little disappointing because they clearly have a TON of energy and it felt like some of that is going to waste with limited interaction. As for the birds, well, there were some dead birds found throughout but just in random places (I remember one being in a wheelbarrow). From the setup, I thought we would encounter some kind of strange, ritualistic alter with offerings to some godly bird. Nope. Or maybe that’s because I didn’t accurately understand what was going on.
The end of the haunt was a very small outside area leading to the exit outside the barn, nothing overly special there, though I did notice a number of human-sized crucifixes laying on their sides among the debris (nice touch).
I walked away from Black Orchard trying to digest what I experienced and it really just felt like a big wad of stimulation. Or maybe I had a hard time processing it because of all of that stimulation. There were a few stand-out elements as I mentioned, but despite it being sensory overload, it didn’t feel too memorable for me. I have to hand it to the actors – they were bursting with energy, but aside from the two that contributed to the story, it was mostly just a bunch of screaming and groaning. Surely this would be rattling to someone with a weak constitution, but that’s not me. Nothing about it felt scary or eerie; just more so threatening or aggressive but without any apparent reason. It felt as if everything was going on because it was simply there. For such a great opener, the remainder of the haunt failed to follow through.
Black Orchard has a wealth of potential. The cast and the sets clearly demonstrate that, but I left trying to understand what exactly was going on in there. Why are family members constantly screaming at us? Are we supposed to be the next meat source? If it’s meat facility, why didn’t we see much of anything having to do with meat processing (I saw one corner with rotating saw blades)? I appreciate controlled pandemonium as much as any haunt fanatic, but Black Orchard felt like it can’t stand out on that alone. It needs more and I find myself frustrated, unable to put a finger on what it is. Despite that, I really look forward to seeing how this haunt expands refines itself in the future. It certainly left me wanting more.
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Not easy to find, but it probably helps keep the investigators away... |
Paul - Welcome to Shelbyville, KY- a small town about 30 minutes from downtown Louisville. On the outskirts of this town, down a sleepy, quiet road lies a barn that houses some of the most demented people I've ever escaped from. Hopefully you make it out intact as well...
Black Orchard Meats is a slightly shady establishment that's run by Theodore and Stich Black. While it's intended to be a legit business, somewhere along the way things got a little out of control and the meat they serve is sourced from some unusual mammals. When you visit the barn, you'll encounter some people who have spent a bit too much time away from the general public, and their manners are slightly lacking. On your voyage to the front door you get to meet some of these unique people, and if you're lucky you may even be offered some nice refreshing milk that one of them just "made". Oh, and a little easter egg- See if you can recognize some of the names on the crosses at the graveyard outside.
Once inside you meet Theodore and Stitch. They give you a little info on what's happening and then you get the real experience. This place is intense! There's super loud music blaring the while time, crazy lighting, and the farmhands come at you from every direction! It'll undoubtedly get your heart pumping and assault almost all of your senses. Your path to (hopeful) freedom takes you through some of the tightest, creepiest pathways of any haunt we go to, and there's a surprise around every corner.
Black Orchard is a really wild place. This year marks our first visit and I'm sure it will become a regular part of our rotation as it's one of the more intense haunts around. There's no touch here, but the tight pathways, loud music, disorienting lighting, and perfectly used actors make for a hell of a combination. It's a little tough to find, but it's well worth the effort. Take the trip to Black Orchard and see what's in the barn!
Black Orchard Meats is a slightly shady establishment that's run by Theodore and Stich Black. While it's intended to be a legit business, somewhere along the way things got a little out of control and the meat they serve is sourced from some unusual mammals. When you visit the barn, you'll encounter some people who have spent a bit too much time away from the general public, and their manners are slightly lacking. On your voyage to the front door you get to meet some of these unique people, and if you're lucky you may even be offered some nice refreshing milk that one of them just "made". Oh, and a little easter egg- See if you can recognize some of the names on the crosses at the graveyard outside.
Once inside you meet Theodore and Stitch. They give you a little info on what's happening and then you get the real experience. This place is intense! There's super loud music blaring the while time, crazy lighting, and the farmhands come at you from every direction! It'll undoubtedly get your heart pumping and assault almost all of your senses. Your path to (hopeful) freedom takes you through some of the tightest, creepiest pathways of any haunt we go to, and there's a surprise around every corner.
Black Orchard is a really wild place. This year marks our first visit and I'm sure it will become a regular part of our rotation as it's one of the more intense haunts around. There's no touch here, but the tight pathways, loud music, disorienting lighting, and perfectly used actors make for a hell of a combination. It's a little tough to find, but it's well worth the effort. Take the trip to Black Orchard and see what's in the barn!
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You can feel something brushing your face, the music is pulsing, and you can only see something coming at you in jerky motions because the light is only on for a split second before going out again. |
Teresa - This was our first year going to Black Orchard Haunted House in Shelbyville, KY. I was pleasantly surprised. For a newer haunt, it has plenty of scares. Most of what you need to know you can find on their website. However, important to note, we had a little trouble finding it. Our navigation told us to turn on a road that said "no outlet". We didn't turn there, but continued on and turned at the next road which had a sign saying it was Red Orchard Park and immediately saw the haunt to the left. There was a barn straight ahead that seemed to be hosting a wedding. Keep that in mind if you're the type who would love to have your wedding adjacent to a haunted house (you know who you are!). The parking was marked with torches, but it was still a little confusing. Just find a spot to ditch the car and head toward the crazy lights and haunt sounds.
This haunt is now under the ownership of the same evil mastermind that owns The Haunted Hotel in Louisville, which is one of my favorite haunts of all time. There are definitely some similarities. The haunt is partially outside and partially in a giant barn where the brothers Stitch and Theodore Black have taken over the family business, Black Orchard Meats. The property is full of demented family members and the people working for them...and then there's you. Where do you think they get their meat?
Insider tip, the graveyard is full of tombstones of the owners of the haunts where the creeps working at Black Orchard got their starts in the business. So that's fun. You probably will be hard-pressed to read the tombstones though, as the milkman will be urging you to have some milk right about then. This guy was absolutely menacing and hilarious. You meat... I mean, "meet", the brothers Black inside, who tell you more about the family business. This place is very disorienting! The music and sounds are LOUD. The lighting is crazy, sometimes strobing, and the ground is uneven. There was one part we had to stoop down and kind of do a duck-walk. Your attention is constantly pulled in different directions, because you don't want to trip, but you also don't want one of those "things" to get you. You can feel something brushing your face, the music is pulsing, and you can only see something coming at you in jerky motions because the light is only on for a split second before going out again. [On, it's closer.] [Off, where is it, where is it?] It can be quite nerve-wracking. There were some really macabre scenes involving cannibalism and slaughterhouse-related gore, cool props, and animatronics, and absolutely insane characters in this place. Their dialogue is funny and may make you blush. Don't rush through too fast or you could miss some great scares and laughs. This place is definitely fun. I can't wait to see it grow.
This haunt is now under the ownership of the same evil mastermind that owns The Haunted Hotel in Louisville, which is one of my favorite haunts of all time. There are definitely some similarities. The haunt is partially outside and partially in a giant barn where the brothers Stitch and Theodore Black have taken over the family business, Black Orchard Meats. The property is full of demented family members and the people working for them...and then there's you. Where do you think they get their meat?
Insider tip, the graveyard is full of tombstones of the owners of the haunts where the creeps working at Black Orchard got their starts in the business. So that's fun. You probably will be hard-pressed to read the tombstones though, as the milkman will be urging you to have some milk right about then. This guy was absolutely menacing and hilarious. You meat... I mean, "meet", the brothers Black inside, who tell you more about the family business. This place is very disorienting! The music and sounds are LOUD. The lighting is crazy, sometimes strobing, and the ground is uneven. There was one part we had to stoop down and kind of do a duck-walk. Your attention is constantly pulled in different directions, because you don't want to trip, but you also don't want one of those "things" to get you. You can feel something brushing your face, the music is pulsing, and you can only see something coming at you in jerky motions because the light is only on for a split second before going out again. [On, it's closer.] [Off, where is it, where is it?] It can be quite nerve-wracking. There were some really macabre scenes involving cannibalism and slaughterhouse-related gore, cool props, and animatronics, and absolutely insane characters in this place. Their dialogue is funny and may make you blush. Don't rush through too fast or you could miss some great scares and laughs. This place is definitely fun. I can't wait to see it grow.
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Jonestown meets Joe Metheny |
Emily - Free samples! Just don’t ask about the strange flavor. Chances are, it’s probably roadkill, and I don’t mean the chop steak at Texas Roadhouse. The Black family meat barn is not the best choice of butcher, but their special talents exceed the competition. I am not sure if it was the rancid meat or the sense assaulting special effects, but Black Orchard provides a trip you can’t forget.
Getting to Black Orchard was a little confusing. GPS will take you to a private drive, which obviously doesn’t lead to a haunt. Once you guess where to turn, there is a reception hall, which was hosting a wedding when we arrived. I wouldn’t be surprised if haunt goers accidently crash a wedding some night. We eventually figured out where to go, but parking was also confusing, so we just picked a spot along the field line. They need some signage in a few places. The lot getting to the barn was extremely dark. There was little direction for where and when to enter the haunt, but I will attribute that to a slow night due to a concert. I believe the entry staff was on break also. The haunt is mostly indoors, but the line is outdoors. They had a gift shop and a $10 mini escape room in their silo.
You enter through a graveyard and are instantly greeted with screams and the milkman begging you to try his warm milk. He harasses you about the milk through the whole outside portion, which becomes utterly (pun intended) uncomfortable and awkward. He is just warming you up for what’s inside. The introduction to the Black facility is conducted by Stitch Black, who (fittingly) has Jim Jones vibes, and his big bodyguard, who I think is also a Black. Once you get the run down, they let you loose to tour their facility.
Black Orchard has great actors and everyone we came across was very energetic. I just wish there were more of them. That said, this haunt is all about the sensory deprivation and disorientation, and they lay it on heavy. First, it is very dimly lit, if not completely dark in some places. I had to hold my hands out in some locations, because I was struggling to determine where to go. It adds to the intensity of the haunt, but sometimes it was hard to see the actors and what they are trying to portray. There is loud music playing constantly, which basically eliminates that sense as well, and induces further unease. A room of hanging bodies always scares me, but when I could hardly see or hear, it took everything I had not to ditch my crew and dip out of there like a running back.
The floors are very uneven and move in some places, which only adds to the disorientation intensity. There were tight corners, crawl spaces, and a crazy lattice labyrinth that made me feel like I was fading out of consciousness. One scene I will not forget is the pitch-black room with the random bright flash that eliminates any sort of vision you had adapted to. There was something spooky going on in there, but I can’t tell you what it was. I was completely blind. I regained full sight just in time to see the ending act that had guests running all the way back to their car.
This haunt provides a psychological twist that other haunts in the area don’t have. It’s Jonestown meets Joe Metheny, in a good way. I really enjoyed the experience. They have a ton of potential and are planning to expand for 2022. I can’t wait to sample next year’s slaughter.
Getting to Black Orchard was a little confusing. GPS will take you to a private drive, which obviously doesn’t lead to a haunt. Once you guess where to turn, there is a reception hall, which was hosting a wedding when we arrived. I wouldn’t be surprised if haunt goers accidently crash a wedding some night. We eventually figured out where to go, but parking was also confusing, so we just picked a spot along the field line. They need some signage in a few places. The lot getting to the barn was extremely dark. There was little direction for where and when to enter the haunt, but I will attribute that to a slow night due to a concert. I believe the entry staff was on break also. The haunt is mostly indoors, but the line is outdoors. They had a gift shop and a $10 mini escape room in their silo.
You enter through a graveyard and are instantly greeted with screams and the milkman begging you to try his warm milk. He harasses you about the milk through the whole outside portion, which becomes utterly (pun intended) uncomfortable and awkward. He is just warming you up for what’s inside. The introduction to the Black facility is conducted by Stitch Black, who (fittingly) has Jim Jones vibes, and his big bodyguard, who I think is also a Black. Once you get the run down, they let you loose to tour their facility.
Black Orchard has great actors and everyone we came across was very energetic. I just wish there were more of them. That said, this haunt is all about the sensory deprivation and disorientation, and they lay it on heavy. First, it is very dimly lit, if not completely dark in some places. I had to hold my hands out in some locations, because I was struggling to determine where to go. It adds to the intensity of the haunt, but sometimes it was hard to see the actors and what they are trying to portray. There is loud music playing constantly, which basically eliminates that sense as well, and induces further unease. A room of hanging bodies always scares me, but when I could hardly see or hear, it took everything I had not to ditch my crew and dip out of there like a running back.
The floors are very uneven and move in some places, which only adds to the disorientation intensity. There were tight corners, crawl spaces, and a crazy lattice labyrinth that made me feel like I was fading out of consciousness. One scene I will not forget is the pitch-black room with the random bright flash that eliminates any sort of vision you had adapted to. There was something spooky going on in there, but I can’t tell you what it was. I was completely blind. I regained full sight just in time to see the ending act that had guests running all the way back to their car.
This haunt provides a psychological twist that other haunts in the area don’t have. It’s Jonestown meets Joe Metheny, in a good way. I really enjoyed the experience. They have a ton of potential and are planning to expand for 2022. I can’t wait to sample next year’s slaughter.
Questions? Have a story to share? Leave it in the comments!