Drum Show Technical Rider: What the Venue Needs to Prepare

A drum show technical rider is a short document listing what the performers need from the venue: stage size, power, sound, lighting, set-up time. It exists not to indulge the artists but to make sure the show happens without surprises exactly when the guests expect it. In this article we explain every item of the RhythmMen rider in plain words; you can also download the technical rider and hand it to the technical director of the venue.

Why the organiser needs a rider

Drums are heavy, bulky instruments, and a drum show is a physically active number with performers moving around the stage. If the stage is too small, the floor wobbles and there is one socket for the whole hall, we will still play, but the show will not look like the video you watched. The rider removes these risks in advance. As a rule, a standard venue already has everything on the list; it just needs checking.

Stage and site

• Size. As a rule, a line-up of 3–6 drummers needs a stage or floor area of at least 4×3 metres. A larger line-up, dance numbers or fire elements need more; we specify this for the particular programme.
• Floor. Level, stable, with no play. Drum stands must not wander and performers must not have to balance on bumps. A sectional riser has to be firmly locked together.
• Access. A route from the load-in entrance to the stage without narrow stairs, or with a lift. If there are only stairs, tell us in advance and we will allow more time for set-up.
• Outdoors. Open-air performances need a canopy in case of rain and a level surface: not grass and not sand without decking.

Power

Typically we need several 220V outlets right next to the stage for the LED equipment, drum lighting and charging the controllers. We bring extension leads, but the run from socket to stage should not be thirty metres across the guest walkway.

Sound

Drums are loud on their own, but the show runs to a backing track, so we need the house sound system. The typical set:

• a line input for the backing track: mini-jack or XLR into the mixer;
• for large halls and outdoor sites, 2–4 overhead or instrument microphones on the drums so the sound is balanced across the whole space;
• stage monitors or side fills so the performers can hear the track;
• a house sound engineer present during the sound check and the performance.

In small restaurants for 50–80 guests a line input and the room acoustics are often enough; no microphones are needed.

Lighting

For the classic show the stage lighting the venue already has is enough. For the LED drum show one condition is critical: the general lighting must be dimmable or switched off completely for the duration of the number. LED drums and costumes are spectacular precisely in the dark; under bright overhead light half the effect is lost. This is worth agreeing in advance, since not every hall has dimmers on its main lighting.

Timing: load-in and sound check

• Load-in and set-up: as a rule, 60–90 minutes before the event starts or before guests enter the hall.
• Sound check: 20–30 minutes with the sound engineer to check the track, balance and monitors.
• Tear-down: 30–40 minutes after the performance; if other artists follow us on stage, we agree how quickly to clear the space.

If guests will be in the hall during set-up (a show in the middle of the programme), we set the instruments in advance and cover them, or set up during a break. This is settled at the planning stage.

Backstage

A dressing room or a separate room to change in, where the team can leave belongings and prepare: LED costumes and fire props need space. Water for the performers. Parking for one van next to the load-in entrance, since instruments are hard to carry over a distance.

Special formats

Fire. A performance with fire elements is agreed separately: an open space or the permission of the venue, no smoke detectors directly above the stage, a safe distance to the guests. Interactive and team building. Space to seat participants in a circle or in sectors and a microphone for the host; details in the article on drum team building.

Checklist to hand to the venue

1. Stage of at least 4×3 m, level floor, convenient load-in access.
2. 220V outlets next to the stage.
3. Line input for the backing track, monitors, 2–4 microphones if needed.
4. Dimmable or switchable general lighting for the LED format.
5. A 60–90 minute slot for set-up and 20–30 minutes for the sound check.
6. Dressing room, water, parking for a van.

Summary

A rider is a way to settle the details before the event rather than during it. Send it to the technical director of the venue, and if something on the list is impossible, write to us and we will suggest how to adapt the programme. How technical conditions affect the budget is covered in how much a drum show costs; you can reach us through the contacts page.