Technical Rider

A technical rider is the section of a tour rider that specifies every production requirement for the show — PA system specs, lighting rig, power distribution, stage plot, input list, backline, rigging points, video, and any special production elements. It's the production manager's bible.

What a technical rider covers

Sound requirements (PA system type, subwoofer count, monitor world setup), lighting (rig design, fixture count, console requirements, follow spots), stage dimensions and weight limits, power distribution (amperage, phase, distance from stage), rigging points and weight capacities, backline specifications, video screens and cameras if applicable, and dressing room / backstage power needs.

How it's used

The tech rider goes to the venue or promoter well before the show. During the advance, the production manager walks through it line by line with the venue's technical staff to confirm what can be met, what needs substitution, and what's impossible. Smaller venues may not be able to match every spec — the advance negotiation determines what compromises are acceptable.

Tech riders evolve

Like hospitality riders, tech riders get updated throughout a tour. The venue where the power kept tripping, the room where the PA couldn't cover the balcony, the festival stage that didn't have enough monitor sends — all of it gets baked into the next version.