APPENDIX D
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. |
Put this chapter to work
Continue the lesson with connected resources
The chapter explains the principle. These resources help you practice it, document it, calculate it or train it in the room.
Use the resource that matches the decision in front of you. A tool supports judgment; it does not replace current law, venue policy, qualified professional advice or the person responsible for the operation.