There’s a Star Wars quote that pretty much sums up my feelings about Halloween 2020.
“No. I am your father.”
Whoa…not today, satan.
“Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You’re our only hope.”
Eh. Getting closer, but no.
“Why, you stuck-up, half-witted, scruffy-looking nerf herder!”
Uh…this is getting weird. Still no.
“(screams) You were the Chosen One!”
That’s more like it! Halloween 2020 had everything going for it. It’s on a Saturday. The Vols were supposed to be good so it was to be a bye week of celebration. It’s on a Saturday. There’s going to be a full moon that night. Also… did I mention that it’s on a Saturday?
The 2020 calendar was barely a week old when I flipped through the months to see when all of the crucial holidays fell—my Birthday, Christmas, March Madness, UT vs. Florida, and to the point, Halloween. I could already picture multiple days of bacchanalia filled with normally respectable ladies who once a year let their hair down and dress up as Sexy (fill in the blank). Cats, Bumblebees, Ladybugs, Nurses, Sugar Skulls…hell, I even saw a Sexy Popeyes Chicken Sandwich last year. Not a dummy thicc (with two c’s) fried chicken breast sandwiched between two golden buns and dripping suggestively with sauce. No, I literally mean a Sexy Popeyes Chicken Sandwich… costume. Full disclosure, I wasn’t entirely mad at it either. All of this goodness was set to occur during a blue moon, on the weekend, while I’m still young and child-free enough to enjoy it irresponsibly? Shewwww. I started making plans immediately. Then…well, we all know what 2020 has done to plans. Fast forward through the longest 7 months that has ever existed to now, and here I was, sadly gearing up to spend October 31st in my apartment, in quarantine for the 5,011th (pronounced fiddy leventh) weekend. Then in a burst of baby Yodas and lightsabers, I received an invitation to the one event that has the opportunity to help me actually realize my Halloween 2020 dreams: the Second Bell Monster Mash.
Today we sit down with Knoxville’s favorite “scruffy-looking nerf herder,” Rusty Wan Kenobi (aka Rusty Odom, publisher of BLANK), and ask him 12 questions about this exciting event. Rusty, if that nickname sticks, please don’t fire me from the paper. Readers, please help me make this nickname stick.
1. What gave you the original idea for this festival?
Rusty Odom: I saw a guy named Marc Rebillet (check him out on Insta: @marcrebillet … he’s WILD) talking about one several months ago, and I thought, “Hmm. That sounds interesting but also kind of lame.” So I paid attention to his and others, and as it turned out, they were actually quite cool and unique. I think that years from now, people at concerts are going to ask one another, “Hey, did you ever go to a drive-in show during that crazy year?” And the people who are able to say yes are really going to be glad they did. It’s a legit live show. The only real difference in terms of the show is that you have to stay in your space. I had to cancel two festivals I’m involved with this year, both Second Bell and Catoosa, and as you know, we did a streaming festival way back in March (Second Bell Sofa Soiree). I think this is where the music industry is right now if you want to see live music. And I know that I need it after this crazy summer.
2. What made you choose Baker Creek Bottoms as a venue?
RO: I wanted to keep Second Bell in South Knoxville. I love the energy around Baker Creek Preserve and the Urban Wilderness. I truly believe that the south side of town harbors the highest ceiling of any sector of town for the future. I live here and have for several years, and it feels like home. Coming from the east side of town, it’s the perfect mixture of country and convenience. The folks behind the Bottoms have been great to work with, and I look forward to what they have in store for the future.
3. You’ve organized several events in the past. What specific challenges did you face when putting together this one?
RO: The main thing is keeping everyone safe while allowing them to enjoy their time. Typically, you just book music and the site, get everything together, and let people do their thing. In 2020, you really have to ensure that people follow the rules and be respectful of everyone around them. Two main differences really jump out. Firstly, everyone has to stay in their spots unless they’re going to the restroom or getting food. And if they do that, they have to wear a mask. That’s just all there is to it. It’s really not a big deal, and if folks want to see live music in a setting like this, I think it’s a non-issue. The other challenge is the alcohol. While it’s enticing for folks to bring in their own, these events just can’t make money unless alcohol sales are present. Plus, it’s not safe. If we want to be able to do this again (and we’ve already talked about bringing in some larger out of town bands soon if this one works), we have to be able to at least break even. I had to pick up a pressure-washing gig just to be able to continue to print this very paper, so we don’t have any money to lose at this point. Smiley Winky Face.
Writer’s note: (I told him here that the “smiley winky face” would not work on me because my mind is too powerful for silly Jedi tricks, but then the next thing I knew, I was detailing his car. Just listen to him. Don’t bring your own booze to the concert.)
4. What precautions are you taking to keep both staff and attendees safe regarding the virus? How will these precautions carry over into the “Silent Disco” portion of the evening specifically?
RO: Everyone will get two parking spots with their vehicle pass purchase. You can have up to six people in your car, but you have to stay with the group you came in with. You get the spot your car is in plus the spot beside it, so you can dance or sit in a lawn chair if you’d like to get out of the car. When people leave their spot to get food or go to the bathroom, they must wear a mask. No exceptions. These same rules will apply to the Disco. We’ll hand out headphones after the headliner and get it going from there. We’ll be tracking how many sets we give to each car so that we make sure we get them all back at the end of the night, as well.
5. I see from the event description that you are also providing rides home via ridesharing services or taxi to any attendee that has too much to drink at the event. What gave you that idea?
RO: Aaron Snuckles from Big Wheel Events has always done that at his concerts, and I really admire it. So I just completely stole it from him. I think it proves that we care about our attendees, and that we are doing what we can to ensure the safety of them and others in the community.
6. I see also that alcohol and merch will be delivered via golf cart so that attendees won’t have to leave their designated parking spots. How will that work? And how do you plan to handle other needs such as restrooms and food purchases safely?
RO: Yes, we’ll have alcohol and merch delivery via golf cart. We’re actually really excited about that. We’re going to use a cone or flag system, so if you want something, just throw that on the top of your vehicle, and we’ll come rolling up. Jess Hale came up with that idea, and I really dig it. Food Trucks will be onsite as well. Oakwood will be onsite as well as Corky’s (from True Grip) new food truck. We’ll have licensed security onsite to ensure that protocols are being met for distancing throughout the footprint.
7. Now, to the fun stuff! You’ve really put together a star-studded group of performers for this concert. How did you go about putting together a line-up?
We actually had all these bands booked for Second Bell this year. We have tried for several months to figure out a way to still put them in front of people, and we finally figured it out. Temp Job is one of my favorite new bands in town. They’re just a ton of fun, and I love the two ladies up front, especially. Cruz Contreras has put together a monster band and will be performing songs from his new album live in Knoxville for the first time. I’ve listened to the new record, and it’s unbelievably good. It’s kind of a new direction from what folks are used to with The Black Lillies, though it’s still definitely Cruz. I can’t wait to hear it live.
8. King Super and the Excellents used to be one of my favorite local bands, but they disbanded several years ago. How did you get them back together for this?
Steve Corrigan and I have been talking about this for a long time. When we finally figured it out for the regular festival, I was so excited, then I was so bummed when we had to cancel. But here we are with a big ole glass of lemonade.
9. Can we expect any fun surprises the night of the event?
Absolutely. A lot of folks have missed some big anniversaries and birthdays since March, so I’m thrilled to announce that the author of this story (the terror that flaps in the night, the scourge that pecks at your nightmares, the bubblegum that sticks in your hair Darkwing Duc…I mean Brandon Gibson) is going to be singing a special version of Happy Birthday to everyone who didn’t get to celebrate theirs this year as they normally would have. Every human in attendance will also get a goodie bag upon arrival with some very cool stuff in it. We’ve got some other special treats in mind, as well.
Writer’s note: (I think I agreed to this while under the effects of the “smiley winky face”)
10. Everyone that dresses up will be entered into the Halloween costume contest. How do you plan to run and judge that safely?
The stage will be on a road slightly elevated above the parking lot, so we’ll have a bird’s eye view of everyone in attendance. The folks on the carts will also be taking notes. We’ve got some really cool prizes for that contest, too. Speaking of the setup, every spot will be able to see the stage really well. I think it’s the perfect setup for one of these things.
11. What can folks expect in terms of arrival and departure?
General Admission entry will begin at 5PM, and VIP will come in at 4PM. At the Drive-in events I worked with Big Wheel at Smokies Stadium, almost everyone stayed the whole time, so once the lights came on, people slowly left the venue.
12. Is there anything else that you’d like people to know about the event?
I want people to know that this event will be as safe as it possibly could be. We’ve taken every precaution, and the other drive-ins that we helped out with went off without a hitch. I know that $100 for a GA pass and $150 for VIP presents a little sticker shock at first, but realize that when you split it up amongst the people you’re riding with, it’s as affordable as it gets. Even though there’s not much competition for live music, we wanted to make it accessible to those who want to be there. Please check out www.secondbellfest.com for more info, and if anyone has any questions, feel free to reach out to me at rusty@blanknews.com. We understand it’s a new concept for folks and we want to help alleviate any hesitation that our neighbors might have.
