High-spec live music venue with multi-zone audio and visual experience.
Rita’s: Leeds
Rita’s in Leeds isn’t just a bar – it’s a fully immersive entertainment space built around live music, sport and high-energy social experiences.
This case study explores how Middlesex Sound & Lighting delivered a flexible, high-performance AV solution – balancing professional live sound with day-to-day usability across a complex, multi-level venue.
About Rita’s
Rita’s is a brand-new concept from Stonegate, designed to bring together live music, sport, dining and late-night energy under one roof.
Located on a busy social thoroughfare in Leeds, the venue represents a shift towards more experiential hospitality – combining:
- Live performances throughout the week
- Large-scale social spaces across multiple floors
- Integrated sports viewing
- A mix of high-energy and relaxed environments
Inspired by some of the UK’s most exciting live music concepts, Rita’s was built to deliver a premium, high-impact experience while remaining commercially sustainable.
The Project
MSL were brought in early to collaborate with Stonegate, interior designers Surface ID, and the wider project team.
The brief was ambitious:
- Deliver a professional live music setup capable of hosting full bands
- Ensure the system remained usable for non-technical staff during quieter periods
- Create a multi-zone audio experience across several distinct spaces
- Integrate lighting and video elements to enhance atmosphere
- Provide a system flexible enough to support changing use cases throughout the week
This wasn’t just about installing sound and lighting – it was about designing a venue that could evolve throughout the day and night.
The Challenges
Rita’s needed to operate as two venues in one. At peak times, it had to deliver a full live music experience with professional sound, dedicated engineers and high production values. But outside of those moments, the same system needed to be simple enough for day-to-day staff to control – without compromising sound quality or reliability. Striking that balance between performance and usability was a key part of the brief.
At the same time, the venue itself added complexity. With multiple floors, a main stage, secondary performance areas, a basement bar and external spaces, each zone required its own identity while still feeling connected. Ensuring consistent coverage, controlled sound levels and seamless transitions across the entire venue meant careful system design – particularly to avoid underutilising what was, ultimately, a very high-spec installation.
The Solution
The team here at MSL provided a fully integrated AV solution that would meet the needs of a venue that is built around live music, sport and high-energy social experiences.
Live Performance & Venue Audio
At the heart of the venue is a high-performance live PA system, built to deliver professional-grade sound for bands and performers.
MSL specified a premium d&b audiotechnik system for the main stage, supported by:
- Dedicated front-of-house mixing position
- Radio microphone systems
- In-ear monitoring systems
- Full backline audio infrastructure
This ensures Rita’s can host live music to a genuinely high standard – not just “bar band” level.
Distributed Venue Audio
Beyond the stage, a multi-zone Martin Audio system provides consistent coverage throughout the venue.
Audio is distributed across:
- Ground floor trading areas
- First floor spaces
- Basement bar
- External and garden areas
This allows different audio sources and energy levels to run simultaneously – from live music downstairs to more relaxed environments elsewhere.
A BSS Soundweb control system manages routing, processing and system protection, ensuring:
- Consistent performance
- Controlled output levels
- Long-term system reliability
Visual & Sports Integration
Rita’s also incorporates a strong visual component, including:
- A large-format LED video wall
- Multiple display screens across the venue
- Flexible routing for live sport and content
This allows the venue to seamlessly transition between live music, sports viewing, and general trading.
Lighting & Atmosphere
Lighting plays a key role in shaping the venue’s identity.
The system includes:
- Stage lighting rigs for live performances
- Effects lighting across both floors
- Integrated feature lighting within architectural elements
- Large-scale decorative lighting installations, including suspended filament lamps
During the day, the venue offers a warm, welcoming atmosphere. At night, it transforms into a high-energy performance space.
Training & Support
Given the complexity of the system, MSL placed a strong emphasis on training and handover.
This included:
- On-site support during opening nights
- Hands-on training for venue staff
- Guidance on maximising system capabilities
- Ongoing support and troubleshooting
MSL also ensured the system was configured to protect itself from misuse, maintain consistent performance, and go as far as possible to reduce the risk of operator error.
Why Middlesex Sound & Lighting?
Rita’s required a partner who could bridge the gap between hospitality and live production. We were chosen for our:
- Experience delivering complex, multi-zone venues
- Expertise in both live sound and installed systems
- Ability to collaborate closely with designers and operators
- Proven track record with high-profile hospitality brands
- End-to-end delivery – from design through to commissioning
