Technical Rider

A technical rider (rider for short) lists everything a DJ or band needs on site: power circuits, floor space, set-up and break-down times, the house PA system and any quirks of the venue. It helps organisers and venues prepare the event without surprises – and it makes the day-of running order calmer for everyone.

Especially at weddings in barns, wineries or mountain lodges the rider is worth gold: it clarifies in advance whether there are enough fused circuits, where the DJ booth can go and whether the in-house system may be used. That way no technical question is left open on the wedding day itself.

A good rider is short and practical rather than an intimidating list of demands. Typical points you will find on mine include:

• Power: at least one or two separate, fused 230V circuits near the booth position.
• Space: roughly 2 by 2 metres for the booth, plus room for uplights and effect lighting.
• Access: a realistic set-up window before guests arrive and a route for wheeling in flight cases.

Riders differ from the huge documents big touring acts hand over: for a wedding you rarely need more than a single clear page. What matters is that the venue coordinator has seen it, confirmed it and flagged anything unusual – a listed building, a shared power supply or a strict curfew – long before the celebration.