The Rider & Hospitality Worksheet

A realistic, fill-in rider scaled to an independent Texas room.

Chapter Eighteen covered hospitality, the rider, and lodging. This appendix is a realistic rider you can fill in and attach to your deal memo (Appendix B) — scaled to the kind of independent rooms that make up most of the circuit, not to a stadium. It tells the room exactly what the act needs to do a good job, and lets the room confirm what it can provide in the advance (Appendix C). A fillable companion accompanies this appendix.

💬 A WORD ON HOSPITALITY A good rider is a request, not a demand, and the most useful thing on it is often the least flashy. A working act has another gig tomorrow and the night after, so water, coffee, and a real meal frequently matter more than an open bar — many seasoned players keep the drink allowance modest on purpose, because staying sharp across a run of shows is part of the job. From the room’s side, hospitality that helps the band do its best work — food, water, a quiet place to land — is hospitality that pays off on stage. Build the rider so it supports the performance, and mark what’s truly essential so a small room can hit the things that matter most.

Part One — The Header

Act: { Performing name }

Show Date / Venue: { Date · room }

Advance Contact: { Name · phone · email — who the room reaches with questions }

Number in Party: { How many people, for the hospitality counts }

Part Two — Technical

Stage: { A minimum size, and a flat, stable surface }

Power: { Circuits and outlets needed near the stage }

PA & Sound: { A PA adequate for the room, and a competent engineer — provided by whom? }

Monitors: { Number of monitor mixes needed }

Microphones & DIs: { Per the attached input list, or list the essentials }

Backline Requested: { What the act needs the room to provide (drums? bass amp?) versus what the act brings }

Stage Plot & Input List: { Attached, or to follow by a date }

Lighting: { Basic stage lighting, enough to see the band }

Load-In & Parking: { Access, and parking for a van or trailer }

Part Three — Hospitality

Green Room / Private Space: { Access to a private area before and after, if the room has one }

Water: { Always — bottled or a pitcher at the stage }

Drinks: { A reasonable allowance — drink tickets, or a set number per person (see the note below) }

Food / Buyout: { A meal per person, or a buyout of $____ each; note any dietary needs }

Coffee: { For a long day or a late show }

Part Four — The Practical Bits

Guest List / Comps: { Number of comps for the act }

Merch: { A table with a light and a decent spot }

Settlement: { A quiet place and time to settle at the end of the night (Appendix G) }

Essential vs. Nice-to-Have: { Mark what is truly essential so a small room can prioritize }

Keep it reasonable and keep it current. A rider scaled to the room, with the essentials marked, gets honored; a wish list scaled to someone else’s career gets ignored.

COMPANION TO APPENDIX D

The Rider — Fill-In Worksheet

Fill it in, attach it to the deal memo, confirm it in the advance.

PART ONE — THE HEADER

Act Performing name

Show Date / Venue Date · room

Advance Contact Name · phone · email — who the room reaches with questions

Number in Party How many people, for the hospitality counts

PART TWO — TECHNICAL

Stage A minimum size, and a flat, stable surface

Power Circuits and outlets needed near the stage

PA & Sound A PA adequate for the room, and a competent engineer — provided by whom?

Monitors Number of monitor mixes needed

Microphones & DIs Per the attached input list, or list the essentials

Backline Requested What the act needs the room to provide (drums? bass amp?) versus what the act brings

Stage Plot & Input List Attached, or to follow by a date

Lighting Basic stage lighting, enough to see the band

Load-In & Parking Access, and parking for a van or trailer

PART THREE — HOSPITALITY

Green Room / Private Space Access to a private area before and after, if the room has one

Water Always — bottled or a pitcher at the stage

Drinks A reasonable allowance — drink tickets, or a set number per person (see the note below)

Food / Buyout A meal per person, or a buyout of $____ each; note any dietary needs

Coffee For a long day or a late show

PART FOUR — THE PRACTICAL BITS

Guest List / Comps Number of comps for the act

Merch A table with a light and a decent spot

Settlement A quiet place and time to settle at the end of the night (Appendix G)

Essential vs. Nice-to-Have Mark what is truly essential so a small room can prioritize

💬 KEEP IT REASONABLE Scale it to the room, mark what’s essential, and lead with what helps the show — water, food, a quiet place to land. A rider that supports the performance gets honored; a wish list gets ignored.