Entertainment Rider… Do You Really Need It?

Every entertainer comes with a rider – a list of hospitality and technical criteria for their performance. Typically, the bigger the name the bigger the demands.

The first key to negotiating a rider is to thoroughly read the entire document. Some acts and managers have been known to add items just to see if you have read the document in its entirety. We have come across the comical addition of tube socks from a very well know national act.

Dressing room requests are important to any musical act and can be as specific as room temperature and air quality as this can affect their voice. Accommodations are also very important. Some entertainers will travel under an alias that will be denoted in the rider. We once had an entertainer whom we booked under an alias and then they were upset we had changed her name. But it came from her rider; we didn’t make it up.

Most riders will have alcohol requests. Some are more extravagant than others like demands for four bottles of Cristal or an over abundance of alcohol. You want to limit the amount of alcohol the performer has before the event to avoid a potentially sloppy act.

No matter how crazy the demands are, keeping any entertainer happy before their performance is key. You want them to be comfortable and relaxed so they can perform at their best and help make your event a success. Whether you end up with a diva or an angel, the show must go on!