LITITZ, PENNSYLVANIA -
When Michael “Mickey” Tait envisioned his eponymous venue, he communicated a single mandate: “He told us it needed to be accessible to the community for community events,” said Jimmy Gaio, General Manager of Mickey’s Black Box, a 650-capacity live performance venue on Lancaster County’s Rock Lititz campus. “Local acts, regional acts, almost every musician and artist that has come through here has never played through a PA like this.”
Gaio was referring to the recently upgraded audio system at Mickey’s Black Box, installed by Clair Global, which also calls Rock Lititz home.
“One of our major motivations is sound quality. We’re sitting at the table with some incredible companies and minds at Rock Lititz, so it needs to sound incredible. If we’re not honoring that portion of our legacy, we’d be doing a disservice to the community,” said Margaret Cooper, Director of Mickey’s Black Box. “We’re carving out a niche with our fidelity. It’s not typical for a room our size to have this level of quality. It’s important for us to lean into this, and we were excited to up the ante.”
The newly integrated PA is comprised of eight Cohesion CO10 per side, a center pack of three Cohesion CSB218i flown in cardioid configuration plus a ground-stack of two CSB218i. Four Cohesion CF24 or CF28 fill speakers, depending on the size of the event, are placed along the stage.
“I’ve been in production for thirty years, and I know when a venue just sounds good,” said Gaio, who also serves as a Production Manager for Live Nation and Philadelphia’s venerable Highmark Mann Center for the Performing Arts. “With the CO10 and the hung subs, the dB levels we’re pushing versus what we’re feeling, it’s like House of Leaves: it shouldn’t be possible. Honestly, I think the room is near-perfect.”
Cooper added, “When artists come by and hear our room, we love to brag: CO10, baby.”
The CO10 system features interchangeable horn inserts that enable the precise adjustment of horizontal coverage to align with diverse venue geometries. This adaptability optimizes sound distribution while minimizing unwanted surface reflections.
“The CO10 feel more in line with what you expect a show to sound like. They’re cleaner, and you don’t have to fight much,” said Casey Bampton, A1 at Mickey’s Black Box. “They give you more depth.”
The configuration tailors consistent coverage in the venue by utilizing 120° horizontal dispersion horn inserts on the top four enclosures of each array to cover the wide upper balcony seats; simultaneously, 80° inserts on the bottom four enclosures narrow the dispersion to match the tapered seating near the stage, effectively avoiding highly reflective side walls and eliminating the need for outfill speakers.
The new setup also marked the first permanent installation of the CSB218i, an integration-specific version of the popular Cohesion CP218 II+ subwoofer, known for its industry-leading output and musicality in the low end.
Artists have noticed the changes, according to Cooper: “The flown cardioid subs have gotten us very positive feedback. The bass frequencies are tighter, crisper, especially on the kick drum. They reduce stage noise, and the artists say they can hear the monitors better.”
“The stage is much quieter now because the subs are cardioid,” agreed Bampton. “The bottom end used to roll up, especially in the wings, but now you can have a normal conversation side stage.”
The new fill speakers are an important part of the venue’s flexible seating. The CF28 speakers provide front fill as part of the typical standing-room audience section. When Mickey’s Black Box switches to “theater mode,” with rows of seating deployed up front and below the stage, the CF24, at only 5” high on its side, is a better solution.
“The seats are already three feet down, and then you add speakers, another eighteen inches there,” said Gaio. “We talked with [Cohesion] about it, and we found the solution, the CF24.”
“They’re smaller, but the clarity is still great,” said Bampton. “The arrays curve around to catch a lot of the outer fill, but in ‘theater mode,’ the CF24 make a significant difference, especially in the wings.”
The venue primarily hosts artists with a regional or local footprint, though Mickey’s Black Box is no stranger to welcoming nationally prominent tours like The Mountain Goats, Built to Spill, Maggie Rogers, and Lamp. Father John Misty, as a kickoff preview of his “Mahashmashana Tour,” played through the new Cohesion audio system last year.
“When I think about a PA, I start with the tonality—does the PA speak to me? I was happy right off the bat. I didn’t have to tune it much,” said Father John Misty’s FOH Engineer Jacob Feinberg, who has also worked with indie artists like Modest Mouse, Bright Eyes, and Regina Spektor. “Those subs weren’t lacking energy, and the fills were great. I was shocked how much low end were in [the CF28]. They were full range.”
The close affiliation—not to mention proximity—between Clair Global and Mickey’s Black Box made the installation a smash success.
“Integration-wise, it was as simple as can be. The most important part is the relationship,” said Gaio.
“We’re paying homage to where we came from while also providing an awesome experience for those here now,” said Cooper. “This is a Ferrari of a system. It’s an audiophile’s dream.”
“I wanted to be in the position that when an artist or a fan came here, it would be undeniable that this is the best live event venue in the region,” concluded Gaio.
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