🎭 Reacting to Paranormal Quest at the Apollo Theater (From a Skeptical Cat Who’s Been There)

Hey spooky cats 🐾
It’s been a minute. I’ve been working, I’ve been sick, and yes—you can probably still hear it in my voice. But I’m back, because today I wanted to do something a little different and honestly pretty interesting.

I made a reaction video to an older investigation at the Apollo Theater in Martinsburg, West Virginia, a location I’ve personally investigated twice now. I wanted to see how another team handled the space—especially a team that’s often considered more grounded and realistic in the paranormal world.

The team I reacted to was Paranormal Quest, and this particular video was filmed about seven years ago, long before I ever stepped foot inside the Apollo. So this wasn’t about proving anyone wrong—it was about comparison.

Why Paranormal Quest?

Among skeptics and debunkers, Paranormal Quest is generally viewed as one of the more reasonable teams. They’re calm, quiet, not constantly yelling at ghosts to “do something,” and they don’t jump to wild conclusions every five seconds.

That alone made me curious.

I skipped the first part of their video where they go over the history of the Apollo (you can watch that on their channel—or on mine, or both if you’re really deep into Apollo lore). I wanted to focus on the investigation itself.

Starting the Investigation

They begin on the stage, setting up a motion sensor meant to detect movement across it—specifically tied to the idea that George, one of the commonly reported spirits, crosses the stage doing “stage work.”

This immediately stood out to me because during my first investigation, we were also near the stage. During the second investigation, we stayed more on the upper levels and away from the performance area. So already, different approaches.

They eventually head up to the second floor and balcony, an area they hadn’t fully explored earlier because of dance rehearsals. That alone mirrors our experience—rehearsals and normal theater activity absolutely affect investigations. Old theaters are noisy. They creak. Every sound echoes. You hear everything.

Equipment & Method (A Very Familiar Vibe)

They primarily used a K2 meter, explaining (correctly) that it measures electromagnetic fields and that the idea of spirits being EMF-based is theory only. I appreciated that. Lots of “may,” “might,” and “if”—which is exactly how it should be presented.

They ask questions, invite interaction, and then… nothing much happens.

And honestly?
That tracks.

The Apollo can be very quiet.

At one point, there’s a scare that turns out to be a security guard named Glenn, who had experiences in the building and joined them for the night. I haven’t met Glenn personally, so I can’t speak to his experiences—but having staff involved is pretty common at places like this.

The Balcony, Storage, and Haunted Attraction Areas

They eventually split into teams to cover more ground—one group heading to the third floor (used for storage and a Halloween attraction), while the other stays near the stage and seating area.

This is where they reference a report of a little girl spirit, said to approach people in the theater. When mist appears on camera, they suggest it could be paranormal.

I’ll be honest, spooky cats—I didn’t see anything. Maybe I’ll catch it on a bigger screen, but to me it looked more like dust or lighting artifacts. And I appreciate that they didn’t present it as definitive proof.

They also capture a sound in the costume room that they describe as possibly saying “hello.” To me, it sounded more like environmental noise—pipes, building sounds, or something mechanical. Old theaters are basically noise factories.

The Catwalk, Smoke Smells, and Stories Changing Over Time

One of the most interesting overlaps between their experience and mine was the smell of smoke.

They report smelling cigar smoke in areas like the green room and along the back wall of the theater. That’s notable because we experienced cigarette smoke during one of our investigations too, and we also couldn’t trace it to a specific source.

However—this is where my skeptical side kicks in.

They reference a story about a brothel burning down, supposedly connected to the basement area. That is not a story we were ever told. We were told there was a brothel in the basement, yes—but nothing about a fire. No historical evidence has ever been presented for that, and I think it’s important to point out how stories change over time depending on who’s telling them.

That doesn’t mean anyone is lying—it means legends evolve.

And honestly?
If something smells like smoke in an old building, my first instinct is to look for a furnace, old wiring, HVAC, or someone sneaking a cigar, not jump straight to ghosts.

I would’ve gone looking for the source.

The Basement (And Reality Setting In)

When they investigate the basement, they’re eventually forced to cut things short due to mold and dust affecting their breathing—which is extremely real and something I wish more paranormal shows talked about.

Not everything is paranormal. Sometimes it’s just unsafe air quality.

They end their investigation with something I actually really respected: the acknowledgment that you don’t always capture groundbreaking evidence, and that the paranormal doesn’t perform on command.

That’s… accurate.

Final Thoughts from a Skeptical Spooky Cat

Honestly? Their results were very similar to ours.

Not much happened.
A few strange sounds.
A smoke smell.
Lots of quiet moments.

And that’s okay.

What I liked most about Paranormal Quest was their calm approach, their willingness to say “maybe,” and their lack of over-the-top reactions. They weren’t trying to force evidence, and neither do we.

We use a lot of equipment—yes, even debunked stuff—because we test it ourselves. We want to see what holds up and what doesn’t. And you’re always welcome to debunk us too.

At the end of the day, most of what we ever get are voices and EVPs, not shadow figures or dramatic full-body apparitions. And the Apollo fits that pattern perfectly.

Thanks for hanging out with me, spooky cats 🐾
If you want free spooky coloring pages, artwork, or stock photos, check out darkwhimsicalart.com. I’ll be adding more as soon as life allows.

Until next time…
Stay spooky 👻🐈⬛