Photo: digitaldjtips.com
Photo: digitaldjtips.com

“Please provide a bowl of peanut M&Ms with all the yellow ones removed.”

That is an example of one kind of provision in a rider contract. That’s the document that you send to the promoter ahead of your arrival. The idea behind it is that the promoter then makes sure all the requirements in the rider are met. That’s how travelling DJs can perform in a different city each night without experiencing any technical or equipment problems.

And the sentence about the M&M’s? A lot of artists include a sentence here and there specifying some detail like that. It’s not because they don’t like yellow M&Ms. It’s because if they walk into their hotel room and there’s no bowl of M&Ms (minus the yellow ones), then they know the promoter hasn’t read through the rider. It makes the artist wonder what else the promoter hasn’t seen to. Is the DJ going to walk on stage and find only one CDJ when he’s asked for two?

If you find yourself playing different venues where the promoter is willing to fulfill your technical, equipment and travelling needs, then you absolutely must provide a rider. Can you just text the promoter your needs? Sure. But an actual document looks more professional and acts as protection in a case where your requirements are ignored.

So, what do you actually included in a rider?

Include literally everything you need to do your job … in as much detail as possible. If you prefer Pioneer, write that in. List every piece of equipment, cables, software, computers … anything and everything you might need. The idea is that, as a travelling DJ, you’re not going to carrying everything you need around with you. At the very least, you might be one of those DJs that walks in with a flash drive and that’s it.

You should also include information about lodging, food and transportation. Do you prefer to stay at an upscale hotel or are you looking for a bed and breakfast arrangement? Are you vegan or do you have food allergies? How are you planning on getting from venue to venue? Include every single one of the requirements you’ll need. You’ll be happier and so will the promoter.

Have you seen any really interesting inclusions in a rider? Tell us about it.