Guides to backline, advancing and touring.
Practical, plain-English guides for the people who make shows happen: what to rent, what to confirm, and what to check on the day.
What is backline? A plain-English guide for first-time renters
What backline means, what it usually includes, and how renting it works, for production managers, artists, and promoters renting for the first time.
How to write a backline rider vendors can actually quote
Turn a gear list into a rider rental companies can quote line by line: models, quantities, accessories, power, and what to say about substitutions.
What drives the cost of a backline rental
The factors that move a backline quote up or down: rental length, specific models, delivery and load-in, labor, deposits, and how far ahead you book.
Exact gear vs. “or equivalent”: handling substitutions without surprises
When “or equivalent” helps and when it hurts, how to tell vendors which substitutions are acceptable, and how to compare quotes that offer different gear.
Delivery, pickup and load-in: what to confirm with your backline vendor
The logistics questions that prevent show-day problems: delivery windows, load-in access, setup and strike, return pickup, and who signs for the gear.
The one-off show backline checklist
A step-by-step checklist for renting backline for a single show, from reading the rider to returning the gear the morning after.
Renting locally vs. flying your own gear
How to decide between renting backline in each city and traveling with your own: what to weigh, what to always carry, and how to split the difference.
Drum kit rentals: what to specify
Shell sizes, snare, hardware, cymbals, throne, and rug: what to put in a drum rental request so the kit arrives the way your drummer expects.
Keyboard and piano rentals: models, stands, pedals, and power
How to request stage pianos, synths, organs, and acoustic pianos: naming models, stands and benches, pedals, sounds, and power for the keyboard rig.
Guitar and bass amp rentals: the specs that matter
Amp models, heads and cabinets, combo vs. stack, backups, and instruments: what to specify when renting guitar and bass amplification.
DJ booth rentals: standard setups and what to confirm
Players, mixers, turntables, booth monitors, and the table itself: what a DJ booth rental usually covers and what to confirm before show day.
Damage, insurance and deposits on rented gear
How deposits, damage, and insurance usually work on backline rentals, what to read in the rental agreement, and how to document gear at handoff.
How to advance a show, step by step
A practical walkthrough of advancing a show: who to contact, what to confirm with the venue and vendors, and how to keep every answer in one place.
The advance checklist: venue, promoter, and vendors
A reusable advance checklist covering the venue, the promoter, and backline and production vendors, so nothing is left to show day.
Reading a venue tech pack, and what to ask when there isn’t one
What a venue tech pack tells you about stage, power, house backline, and load-in, and the questions to ask when the venue doesn’t have one.
Technical rider vs. hospitality rider: what goes where
What belongs in a technical rider, what belongs in a hospitality rider, and how to keep both clear so vendors and venues quote the right things.
A tour manager’s first week: the documents to set up
The documents a new tour manager sets up first: contact sheet, itinerary, advance tracker, budget, and day sheets, and how they fit together.
Building a tour budget that survives the road
How to structure a tour budget: fixed and variable costs, backline and production lines, contingency, and tracking actuals as the run goes on.
Sourcing backline city by city on a fly-in tour
How to source backline in each city when you fly in: one rider for every vendor, consistent substitutions, and keeping quotes comparable across dates.
Festival backline: shared kits, changeovers and riser plans
How festival backline usually works: shared kits, what bands bring, rolling risers, changeover plans, and how to advance with the festival’s team.
Taking gear abroad: carnets and customs basics
An introduction to traveling internationally with equipment: what an ATA carnet is, the inventory it needs, and where to confirm current rules.
Settlement night: what tour managers check
What to have ready for settlement, the figures to check against the contract, and how to keep a clean record of each show’s numbers.
Day sheets people actually read
How to write a day sheet the band and crew will read: what to include, what to leave out, and when to send it.
Backline in Los Angeles: showcases, rehearsals and TV tapings
How backline rental works around Los Angeles productions: showcases, rehearsal days, and TV and studio tapings, and what to plan for each.
When gear falls through: last-minute backline recovery
What to do when backline is late, wrong, or broken close to show time: triage, who to call, acceptable substitutes, and how to protect the set.
Working with a backline tech: what they do and when you need one
What a backline technician does before, during, and after a show, when a production benefits from one, and how to brief them well.
Industry showcases on a small budget
How to produce a tight industry showcase without overspending: shared backline, simple stage plots, short changeovers, and where not to cut corners.