The Rock-afire Explosion

The Rock-afire Explosion is an animatronic band that played in ShowBiz Pizza Place restaurants from 1980 to 1993. The show was pioneering in many respects to other animatronic shows of the early 1980s, featuring life-sized characters capable of facial expression; some were even programmed in such a way that they could actually play simple melodies on musical instruments. The show was created and manufactured by Aaron Fechter, through his company Creative Engineering in Orlando, Florida. In addition to overseeing the production of the animatronics, Fetcher also provided the voices for several characters.

Following the completion of rebranding, the sho w was sold to other restaurants and entertainment centers, such as Circus Pizza, Pistol Pete's Pizza, and Billy Bob's Wonderland. The characters in The Rock-afire Explosion were various animals ranging from a dog to a gorilla. They would perform medleys of classic rock, pop, and country music, as well as original compositions.

In 2008, the creator and technical engineer of the band, Aaron Fechter reintroduced the ensemble as a cover band for a variety of pop, rock, and hip-hop groups, including acts ranging from the mid 20th century to the present. Reprogramming the Rock-afire characters to cover new songs, Fechter reached new and younger audiences and also re-connected with the older audience.