When booking an artist for a festival, the performance contract almost always comes with an addendum called a rider. An artist’s rider outlines their extra requirements and preferences to ensure a smooth performance and a comfortable experience. It’s important for festival organizers to understand the two main types of riders: the technical rider (covering all stage and production needs) and the hospitality rider (covering food, drinks, comfort, and other personal needs). By thoroughly understanding both, organizers can better meet artists’ expectations and avoid show-day surprises.
The Hospitality Rider: Comforts and Essentials
The hospitality rider details what the artist and their team need off-stage to feel comfortable and cared for. This often includes:
– Food and Beverages: Specific foods for meals or snacks, such as a hot dinner after the set or healthy snacks like fruit and granola. Beverage requests can range from bottled water (often a must) to particular sodas, juices, or a certain brand of tea or coffee. Many artists also list alcohol preferences (e.g. a certain beer or wine) when appropriate.
– Dressing Room Setup: Items to equip the green room or dressing area. This might include clean towels, a mirror, comfortable seating, scented candles or air fresheners, and sometimes decorations. Some riders specify the room’s temperature range or lighting (for example, requesting soft lighting for relaxation).
– Comfort Items: Personal touches that help the artist relax or prepare. Examples include specific candies or snacks (famous example: a bowl of M&M’s with the brown ones removed), favorite chewing gum, throat lozenges for singers, or local perks like a guidebook of the city. While some requests can seem quirky, they often serve a purpose – even the M&M’s story was a test to ensure details were read carefully by the promoter.
– Transportation and Accommodation: Details about local ground transportation (like a car service or shuttle to and from the venue, or between hotel and venue) and hotel needs if not handled in the main contract. For instance, a hospitality rider might request a certain standard of hotel (e.g. minimum 4-star) or a specific number of rooms. Even if travel arrangements are usually negotiated in the main booking, sometimes the hospitality section reiterates these needs to ensure the artist’s comfort throughout their stay.
– Guest List and Passes: Some riders note how many guests the artist is allowed to bring and any backstage pass requirements. They might request a secure, private area for their entourage or a meet-and-greet space for VIPs, which falls under hospitality logistics.
Tip: Always check for dietary restrictions or allergies in the hospitality rider. It’s common for artists or crew to have vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, or other special diets. Fulfilling these precisely (or arranging suitable alternatives) is crucial for keeping the artist happy and healthy during the festival.
The Technical Rider: Stage and Production Needs
The technical rider is essentially the blueprint for the performance itself. It ensures the festival’s production team provides everything needed for the artist to deliver their show successfully. Key components of a technical rider include:
– Stage Plot: A diagram or description of the stage layout showing where each band member will be and where all instruments, microphones, and equipment go. For example, the stage plot will indicate the drum kit position, where guitar amps should be, and if the vocalist needs a center-stage monitor. Festival stage crews rely on this to set up quickly and correctly for each act.
– Sound Requirements: Detailed specifications for audio equipment. This covers the PA system and monitor setup the artist expects. It might list the number of monitor wedges or in-ear monitor systems, the preferred mixing console (e.g. “Midas M32 or equivalent”), and an input list outlining each microphone or direct input needed for every instrument or vocal. The technical rider can also mention if the artist is bringing their own sound engineer or requires one to be provided, as well as the length of soundcheck they need.
– Lighting and Effects: If the artist has specific lighting cues or needs, these will be noted. Some performers travel with a lighting director who will work with the festival’s lighting rig, while others just need basic bright stage lighting. The rider may include requests for certain colors or spotlight moments, or indicate if the artist uses props, smoke machines, video projections, or pyrotechnics. If special effects (like pyro or confetti) are part of the show, they’ll be listed along with safety requirements.
– Backline Equipment: The instruments and gear that the artist cannot easily bring and expects the festival to provide. This often includes things like drum kits (with specific drum sizes or brands), guitar amplifiers, bass amps, keyboards, stands, and sometimes more unusual instruments. For example, a keyboardist might need a weighted 88-key keyboard on site, or a guitarist might request a particular amplifier model. The technical rider’s backline section tells the promoter exactly what needs to be rented or supplied. (Bands flying into a festival will usually have longer backline lists than those traveling by road, since flying with bulky gear is impractical.)
– Crew and Stage Support: Requirements for local crew assistance. The rider might state how many stagehands are needed for loading in equipment and setting up. It can also specify if the artist needs an experienced monitor engineer or any specialized technician on hand. For instance, a large touring orchestra might request a dedicated sound tech plus several stagehands to help with music stands and chair setups. The technical rider could detail timing as well, such as “90-minute soundcheck required” or “line check only if changeover is short”.
– Power and Safety Needs: Many riders include electrical power requirements (e.g. “4 separate 20-amp circuits for stage power”), especially if the act has high-wattage amps or extra lighting. They may also cover safety measures or special instructions like securing a barricade for crowd control if the act expects heavy crowd interaction, or ensuring the stage is structurally ready for a high-energy act (for example, if the performer jumps on equipment).
Tip: Treat the technical rider as gospel for putting on the show, but also as a document open to discussion. If the festival’s stage or equipment inventory can’t meet something exactly (for example, the stage is slightly smaller than requested, or a different brand of mixing console is available), those issues should be noted early and discussed during the advance. Artists will often accept an equivalent solution if it’s properly communicated ahead of time.
Reading Between the Lines of a Rider
Receiving a multi-page rider can be daunting, but an experienced festival producer knows how to break it down:
– Highlight Key Requirements: Go through each section with a highlighter or digital markup, and note the items that are critical or unusual. Distinguish “must-haves” (e.g. specific equipment dimensions or a critical dietary need) from “nice-to-haves” (e.g. preferences like a type of flower in the dressing room).
– Identify Extreme Requests: Sometimes riders contain requests that seem extravagant or non-feasible. This could be an extremely expensive item, something not available locally, or a very specific technical component that your team or vendors don’t have. For example, a hospitality rider might ask for a rare imported champagne or a brand of exotic fruit that’s out of season. A technical rider might request a particular vintage guitar amp model that’s hard to source.
– Check Venue Limitations: Always cross-reference the technical demands with the festival venue’s reality. If the rider calls for hanging a giant backdrop but the stage can’t accommodate that, or if they want a grand piano and the stage has no ramp for heavy gear, flag these issues. Similarly, if the hospitality asks for a private dressing room and only a shared green room is available, that will need to be addressed.
– Consult Your Team: A festival organizer should not review the rider in isolation. Instead, share the technical rider with the production manager or stage crew chief, and the hospitality rider with the hospitality/artist relations team. They might spot feasibility issues that one person could miss. For instance, a sound engineer on the team will immediately notice if the requested monitor setup is unusual or if extra speakers need to be rented.
Advancing and Negotiating the Details
The period leading up to the festival is when advance communications happen. “Advancing” a show means the promoter (or production coordinator) and the artist’s tour manager connect to review the rider and all details of the upcoming performance. This is the opportunity to clarify any issues and, if needed, negotiate rider terms:
– Clarify Unclear Items: If any part of the rider is vague or confusing, ask for clarification during the advance. It’s better to ask, “The rider mentions a ‘quiet room’ – do you need a separate private room away from the stage noise?” than to guess and get it wrong.
– Confirm “Per Advance” Items: Often, a rider or contract will list certain provisions “per advance,” meaning they are not guaranteed unless agreed upon in these pre-show discussions. For example, it might say “Hot meal for 10 (vegetarian options included) per advance.” In practice, this means the artist’s team and promoter will decide in advance what that meal will be or if a cash meal buyout is given instead. Always double-check these items and send a confirmation email detailing what has been agreed on – such as the exact dinner menu or the amount of the buyout, and the time it will be provided.
– Negotiate Outrageous Demands: When a request is truly impractical, the advance is the time to gently push back. Use a polite, solution-focused approach. For example, “We saw your request for a specific brand of imported spring water. Unfortunately that brand isn’t available in our country – would another premium bottled water be acceptable? We can source the best local option for you.” Most artists or their tour managers appreciate the effort to meet their needs and will be reasonable if a comparable solution is offered. If an item is simply beyond budget, it’s best to be honest: “The contract didn’t account for a full hot meal service, but we can provide a selection of fresh deli sandwiches and salads, or a meal voucher for the catering tent – would that work?”
– Document All Changes: As you negotiate or agree on adjustments, document everything. Update the rider or make a separate list of amendments after the advance conversation. Having a written record (in an email chain, for instance) of what was decided ensures there’s no confusion on the festival day. It also provides protection in case the artist’s larger team (e.g., someone who wasn’t on the advance call) wonders why something is different from the original rider – the email record shows it was discussed and agreed upon.
Balancing Artist Satisfaction and Practical Realities
Every festival organizer’s goal is to make artists feel valued while keeping the event feasible. Here’s how to strike that balance:
– Prioritize Core Needs: Focus on fulfilling essentials first – the items that impact the performance and the artist’s basic comfort. For instance, adequate sound equipment, a clean and secure dressing area, and proper meals and hydration are non-negotiables for a successful show.
– Go the Extra Mile (Within Reason): Little gestures can go a long way. If an artist has a favorite snack or a local specialty is requested, providing it (even if it’s not easy to find) shows professionalism and care. These efforts often stick in artists’ memories and can earn the festival a reputation for great hospitality. However, always weigh cost and effort: flying a rare brand of mayonnaise across the country for a one-hour set might not be sensible unless that artist is a top-billed headliner with specific needs.
– Know When to Say No: Some demands might cross into unreasonable territory. It’s okay to say no politely when something is against venue rules, unsafe, or financially impossible. The key is how it’s done. Always express why the request can’t be fulfilled and offer an alternative if possible. For example, if an artist requests a full-scale gourmet kitchen backstage at a small regional festival, explain the limitations and maybe offer a high-quality catered meal as a compromise.
– Maintain Professionalism: Even if a request seems silly or exorbitant, handle it with grace. Remember that for the artist, the rider is part of ensuring consistency on tour. They may have had bad experiences in the past that led to certain specific requests. By responding respectfully and doing your best, you build trust. Seasoned festival producers often find that once artists see the festival team is competent and caring, they become more flexible anyway.
– Learn from Each Experience: Every artist’s rider is a learning opportunity. After the festival, the team should review what requests were easy to meet and which were challenging. Was there a pattern of something many artists requested that the organizers weren’t prepared for? For example, if multiple bands asked for a certain type of herbal tea or an equipment piece that wasn’t on hand, the team can stock up on it or invest in one for next time. Over time, a savvy promoter develops a sort of intuition for reading riders – spotting the potential deal-breakers versus the harmless quirks.
Final Thoughts
Understanding and managing talent riders is both an art and a science. For new festival organizers, it may seem like navigating a minefield of demands, but with careful attention to detail and open communication, riders become a roadmap to satisfying artists. For veteran producers, each new rider is a chance to apply hard-earned wisdom and continuously improve the artist experience. By balancing hospitality and technical requirements with the real-world constraints of the festival, organizers ensure that performers walk away happy – and that they deliver the outstanding show the audience expects. In the end, a well-advanced, well-executed rider means everyone wins: the artist can focus on a great performance, and the festival builds a reputation for taking care of the talent and the audience.
27th October 2025