Years ago, I played in a “Top 40” band that traveled from hotel to hotel amusing a drunken clientele with very good covers of the popular tunes of the day. To stay current with the newest tunes and thus ensuring our income, we would read Billboard magazine and learn the most up-to-date tunes as they entered the charts. Most tunes that finally topped the charts usually started out in a lower position and worked their way up. Some tunes moved up the charts quicker than others while others dropped off the charts without ever climbing very high.
Irrespective of a song’s final fate, we would track the various songs from their entry onto the charts, and by the time a song reached the Top 10, we had already incorporated it into our repertoire. In theory, we could have just played every song on the chart, but we also had to pick and choose the songs that were right for our band — as well as being appropriate for the venues and clientele we were being paid to serenade. Despite our best efforts in choosing our play list, sometimes a particular song wouldn’t work for us — regardless of its chart position.
I only bring up this little piece of history because I still apply the concept, but rather than tracking the rise and fall of trending songs, I now keep a diligent eye on audio equipment and for that new piece of gear that might enhance my next production or rental. Substitute “audio gear” for “songs” and replace a magazine (such as the one you are reading) for Billboard, and while the product is different, the idea remains the same. Both are trade magazines that promote the latest and greatest products in their field, and the two also provide information that could possibly help increase one’s financial and professional status. Following a magazine such as FRONT of HOUSE is a great way to learn of the new products that are constantly coming onto the market as well as seeing who might be using them in a variety of applications. Unfortunately, there is no Top 40 list for audio gear and — due to the nature of the audio magazines — every piece of gear is a must-have item. In a perfect world, we could buy every new piece of equipment that catches our fancy, but like the choosing of songs for a repertoire (budget aside), one has to pick gear that works for their own situations and the clientele they serve.
The trade magazines allow me to view all the newest gear and read the testimonials of the various engineers who use the equipment in an assortment of situations. Yet it is the band rider that I rely on to help me decide upon the plethora of sundry gear I require to fill my rental and production requirements. I follow riders now in the same way I followed Billboard years ago, and while one may love and desire a certain console, one also has to take into consideration whether or not the console is in demand with the engineers who may be using it. Check the riders!
Purchasing audio gear is an expensive proposition, and unless one has the luxury of being a boutique audio provider, it’s probably prudent to read the production riders to see what most engineers are requesting. The rider is the Top 40 chart of audio gear, and as an audio provider, one has to be aware of the business. A corporate rider is probably quite a bit different than a touring rider, so if you’re doing corporate work, it’s probably a good idea to get on board with the corporate audio requests. Instant Replay machines, lavalier mics and Dugan automixers are rarely requested in the touring rider, but in the corporate world, riders are bursting with these items.
See, See Rider
Having been on both the sending and receiving end of riders, I understand how important it is for a touring technician — who is not touring with their own gear — to have their rider read and followed in the best way possible and in accordance with the venue they are playing. While most riders are written for the stadium tour, most engineers doing the one-off gigs are usually flexible enough to go with the flow, although this doesn’t mean that the provider should assume that the engineer would make do if they are unable to get a particular item.
It’s always a good idea that traveling engineers should advance their gigs, as a show has certain needs regardless of the venue size or whether or not the promoter is selling tickets. In regard to the house engineer, it’s nice if one can provide even the third choice of any particular piece of gear on the rider. Also, as the house engineer, if a certain requested piece cannot be located, it might be a good idea to reach out to the visiting engineer ahead of time to avoid any surprises or awkward situations. Let’s remember that the rider is a wish list written by the visiting engineer, and it usually provides a second and third choice option if a first choice of some particular item is unavailable. If there are no second and third choice options for a piece of gear, the visiting engineer should rewrite the rider to include these choices. If there is an odd piece, such as a specific microphone that’s hard to get but crucial to the show, I would say that it’s advisable for traveling engineers to carry it with them and not rely upon the various local rental houses to provide it.
No Excuses
As with all the specific audio requirements, the stage plot and input list are important items for a local audio provider or house engineer. Knowing that most touring bands are crunched for time, many local engineers try to expedite the sound check by setting up the stage and input list in advance and in according with the rider. If the visiting engineer then shows up at the venue and starts complaining that everything is set up wrong, it can be — at the least — a disconcerting moment for all involved parties.
“That’s the old rider, where did you get it?” does not fly with the local crew. “This is my first gig with the band,” is also unacceptable. If one is the hired gun for the band, then that same person should have been on the phone advancing their shows while writing a new rider. That same person should take control of advancing their own shows and not rely upon agents or managers to send out a current rider. It’s never a good thing to come into a venue and piss off the local crew (and vice-versa), and though I am being a bit dramatic; we do live and die by the riders that we send and receive. Not only can a rider alert us to the new gear that we should buy and use, but it is also the “Bible” we rely upon that makes our world go round on a daily basis.
