If you have booked a band for a show, a launch party, a TV appearance, or a private event, someone has probably asked you about backline. It is one of those words that people in live music use constantly and almost nobody outside it has heard. This guide explains what backline is, what it usually includes, how renting it works, and what to have ready before you contact a rental company.
What backline means
Backline is the musical equipment a band plays on and through on stage. The name comes from where the gear traditionally sits: along the back line of the stage, behind the performers. Drum kits, guitar and bass amplifiers, keyboards, and the stands and accessories that support them all count as backline.
Backline is different from the venue's production system. The PA speakers that throw sound into the room, the mixing console at front of house, the stage monitors, and the lighting rig are usually part of the venue's or production company's sound and lighting package. Backline is the band's side of the stage.
In practice the line between the two can blur. Some backline companies also rent wireless microphones, in-ear monitor systems, and small consoles, and some venues keep a house drum kit or bass rig on hand. When you are unsure which side a piece of gear falls on, ask the venue what it provides before you rent anything.
What a backline rental usually includes
A typical band's backline breaks into a few groups:
- Drums and percussion. A drum kit with shells, snare, hardware, cymbals, a throne, and often a rug to stop the kit from creeping across the stage. Percussionists may need congas, a cajón, or specific orchestral pieces.
- Guitar and bass. Amplifiers, either combos or heads with cabinets, plus stands for the instruments. Some productions also rent the guitars and basses themselves.
- Keyboards. Stage pianos, synthesizers, organs, or an acoustic piano, along with stands, a bench, and sustain or expression pedals.
- DJ equipment. Media players or turntables, a mixer, and booth monitoring.
- Small but essential items. Instrument cables, power strips, DI boxes, music stands, and the hardware that holds everything together.
If you are planning a single show, the one-off show backline checklist walks through each of these in order.
Who needs to rent backline
Plenty of bands own their gear, so why rent it? A few common reasons:
- Fly-in dates. When an artist flies to a show, shipping a drum kit and amplifiers is expensive and risky. Renting locally means the band carries only the personal items they can't do without. The trade-offs are covered in renting locally vs. flying your own gear.
- Festivals and shared stages. Several acts often share one drum kit and amp line to keep changeovers short.
- TV, showcases, and brand events. These productions need reliable, presentable gear that arrives on schedule and leaves right after.
- Specific sounds. An artist may want an instrument they don't own, like a particular organ or vintage amplifier, for one show.
How renting backline works
Most backline rentals follow the same basic path.
1. Start from the rider
The rider is the document where the artist lists what they need. The technical rider covers the stage: backline, stage plot, input list, and power. If the artist sends a rider, it is your starting point. If they don't have one, you will need to build a gear list with them. Our guide to writing a backline rider vendors can actually quote shows how to turn a loose list into something a vendor can price line by line.
2. Gather the show details
Before a vendor can quote, they need to know the basics:
- Show date and the rental window, meaning when the gear needs to arrive and when it can be collected
- Venue name and address, plus load-in instructions if you have them
- Whether you will pick the gear up or need it delivered
- Whether you need a backline technician on site
3. Request quotes
Send the same request to more than one rental company so the quotes are comparable. In Los Angeles there are full-service rental houses and specialists in drums, keyboards, and DJ gear. You can browse backline rental companies in Los Angeles by equipment type, or start with the Los Angeles backline overview.
4. Compare and confirm
Quotes rarely line up neatly. One vendor may include delivery while another lists it separately; one may offer the exact keyboard while another proposes a substitute. Compare the full picture: the gear actually offered, the charges that are confirmed and the ones still to be confirmed, the deposit, and the delivery terms. Once you choose, confirm the rental agreement and payment directly with that vendor.
5. Show day and return
The gear arrives, gets set up, gets played, and goes back. Agree in advance who checks the equipment at handoff and when it will be collected.
Common terms you will hear
- Rider: the artist's list of requirements. The technical rider covers equipment and stage needs; the hospitality rider covers food, rooms, and green room requests.
- Stage plot: a diagram showing where each musician and piece of equipment sits on stage.
- Input list: the list of every signal that goes to the mixing console, like each microphone and DI box.
- Or equivalent: a phrase in riders that means a comparable substitute is acceptable. It is useful but vague, so be specific about what "equivalent" means for anything the artist cares about.
- Load-in and load-out: bringing gear into the venue before the show and taking it out afterward.
- Backline tech: a technician who sets up, tunes, and looks after the backline during the show.
Mistakes first-time renters make
- Renting from an incomplete list. A drum kit without a throne, or a keyboard without a stand, shows up as a problem at soundcheck. Ask the band to confirm every accessory.
- Leaving it too late. Specific models and busy weekends go first. Start as soon as dates and the rider are settled.
- Comparing headline numbers only. A quote that looks cheaper may leave out delivery, labor, or tax. Compare what is included, not just the total at the top.
- Not telling the vendor about access. Stairs, a freight elevator, or a short load-in window change how a delivery is staffed.
- Forgetting the return. Know when the gear is collected and who will be there to hand it over.
Where BacklineScout fits
BacklineScout lets you send one request, with your dates, venue, and rider, to several rental companies and compare their quotes side by side. You still choose the vendor and confirm the rental directly with them. If you want to see how a comparison works before you start, try the interactive demo.
Frequently asked questions
Is backline the same as the sound system?
No. Backline is the musicians' equipment on stage, such as drums, amplifiers, and keyboards. The sound system that carries the performance to the audience, like the PA, the main mixing console, and usually the monitors, is separate and often supplied by the venue or a production company.
Do venues provide backline?
Some do, especially clubs that host many touring bands, but what they provide varies widely. Ask for the venue's tech pack or equipment list, and confirm the condition and model of anything you plan to use.
How far in advance should I rent backline?
As soon as your dates and rider are confirmed. Specific instruments and busy weekends are the first to go, and early requests give vendors time to propose substitutions you can review with the artist.