Today we’d like to introduce you to (Hush Hush Headphones) Cory & David McCracken.
Hi (Hush Hush Headphones) Cory & David, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Hush Hush Headphones was born out of a dream in 2015 when David was booking performers and bands for live shows at various venues in Athens, GA. To amplify and benefit live performing artists, David acquired silent disco headphones to create an underground, pop-up performance venue unlike anything seen before. From experimental electronic music played live in a fast food restaurant to genre-bending artists performing in the middle of a rural field, Hush Hush Headphones highlighted musical talent in a uniquely immersive experience.
From there, Hush Hush Headphones’ services naturally extended to regular silent dance parties, soon becoming a fixture of local Athens night life.
In 2017, David partnered with Cory, a third generation Jacksonville native, to manage weekly events and grow community engagement. Together, they moved to Jacksonville in 2020 to bring the culture of silent discos and shows to Cory’s hometown.
Now, Hush Hush Headphones is Jacksonville’s leading silent-disco provider and the 2025 ‘DTJax Activator of the Year,’ hosting monthly dance parties at Downtown Vision’s Sip & Stroll, last Saturdays at Friendship Fountain with the City of Jacksonville Parks, weekend dance parties at Root Down in Jacksonville’s historic 5 Points neighborhood, sunset silent discos at the iconic Jacksonville Beach Pier, and hundreds of other events all over town. In fact, Hush Hush has put Jacksonville on the map as the #1 searched metro area in the entire country for silent disco events.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Challenges are part of life as a small business owner, and we’ve learned that staying centered on what brings us joy is what keeps us moving forward.
Getting started took plenty of effort. In 2015, David worked three jobs in Athens, Georgia, to save enough money for the first 50 headphones. Four years, one domestic partnership, and 1,000 headphones later, we were filling dance floors, hosting silent disco parties, and producing live shows through headphones together.
In 2020, we moved to Jacksonville, my hometown, to be closer to family and start one of our own. Growing into parenthood while navigating the biggest growth spurt in our business was the biggest adjustment of our lives. We had to learn how to ask for help, build a team, and trust others with responsibilities we had always handled ourselves.
A major turning point came four years ago when Downtown Vision invited us to partner on the Third Thursday Sip & Stroll After Party. That residency and Jacksonville’s enthusiastic support really grew our love for Downtown Jax and gave us the confidence to think bigger about what was possible.
That relationship ultimately led to one of our most ambitious projects: Secret Space. Through a Placemaking Jax award, we transformed a vacant downtown storefront into an entertainment hub featuring live performers through headphones and immersive art installations. The project taught us valuable lessons about building community, stretching the limits of our time and energy, and bringing our vision to life in a space of our own. It also showed us that while a permanent home has its appeal, the flexibility, accessibility, and community impact of the pop-up model remain at the heart of what we do.
Our current challenge is distilling the last five years of growth in Jacksonville and refining our scope as we realign with what has always mattered most to us: creating spaces where people can connect, move, and experience joy together. In the words of Audre Lorde, “Joy is an act of resistance,” and as Adrienne Maree Brown reminds us, “pleasure is a measure of freedom.” We are living in a time when both can be difficult to find, especially for marginalized folks, which is why these spaces feel so worth creating.
Silent disco is uniquely suited to that mission. With three channels of music, people of different tastes, ages, and backgrounds can come together in the same space and share an experience. That’s one reason working with Jax Parks has reinvigorated us. We love creating opportunities for people to get out of their homes, dance, and find belonging in the public spaces that shape our city.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I think what sets us apart is that we take a listener-led approach.
One of our three channels is often a request hotline, which allows people to shape the experience in real time. We pay attention to what gets people moving and use that feedback to inform everything we do.
Most people’s first encounter with silent disco is on a cruise ship or at a music festival, often with a heavy emphasis on EDM. When we first moved to Jacksonville, many people either didn’t know what silent disco was or weren’t convinced it was for them. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve watched people approach their first silent disco with caution and leave as an enthusiastic fan with a story they’re excited to share with friends and family.
We also believe in the power of recurring events. Rather than focusing only on one-off experiences, we create weekly and monthly dance parties that people can build into their lives. As a neurodivergent person, I know how meaningful routines can be and the impact they can have on quality of life. There’s something special about knowing that every month, or every week, there is a place you can show up, see familiar faces, and have a good time.
Speaking of neurodivergence, silent disco technology can be incredibly helpful for differently abled bodies and people with disabilities. That might look like turning down the volume to avoid overstimulation, sitting down, or hanging back from the crowd while still having an up-close experience through the headphones. In fact, many of our private events have been with organizations that serve people with autism and other disabilities.
Not to mention, live performances through headphones—which is how we got our start—are practically unheard of. Silent karaoke is another favorite of ours, and it’s not something I’ve ever encountered anywhere else. We host it every second Saturday at Pour Taproom as part of our kid-centered programming.
Any big plans?
We are really excited about our next chapter of live shows through headphones. Last year, through our Silent Open Mic Series at Secret Space and Phoenix Arts & Innovation District, we had the opportunity to feature, discover, and introduce so many talented local artists.
This year, we’re taking a new approach by combining our weekly Silent Disco at Root Down with monthly artist-led curations. We’re handing the reins to select artists and collectives to program a two-hour live show experience before the dance party begins.
What I love most about live performances through headphones is the invitation to truly listen. When you put on the headphones, you’re plugged directly into the music with no competing sounds, and the lyrics feel close enough to touch. I’ve heard from both performers and audience members that there’s something surprisingly intimate about it. No matter where you’re standing in the room, you’re hearing the same musical presentation as the artist.
The first show in the series is August 1st at Root Down, featuring Scoob and Servethebass, presented by 904Rave from 7–9 pm.
Pricing:
- we do private parties and have pricing on our website: https://www.hushhushheadphones.com/pricing-packages
- Our programmed events range from $1o headphone rental to free
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.hushhushheadphones.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hushhushjax/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hushhushheadphones/
