Sending your rider to the venue

Your rider is done — now what? Here is when to send it, to whom, in what format, and exactly what to include, with a short example email.

When should you send your rider?

Send your rider well in advance — ideally about three to four weeks before the show, and earlier for bigger productions. The venue’s crew needs time to plan your requirements, arrange gear and ask any questions. A rider that only arrives the night before usually doesn’t get read properly.

Who do you send it to?

Usually your contact at the organisation: production, the programmer or the technical crew. When you book, ask straight away for the right email address for technical details. Send the rider to that person and, if you have one, cc the sound engineer. That way it reaches the right people.

In what format?

Always send a PDF, never a Word or Pages file. A PDF looks the same on every device, is easy to print, and no one can accidentally edit it. Keep it to one file with everything in it, and give it a clear name, for example BandName_Rider_2026.pdf. That helps the crew find it among dozens of other riders.

What do you send with it?

• Your technical rider with the input list and the gear you need.
• A readable stage plot in top-down view.
• Your hospitality rider (dressing room, catering, dietary needs).
• Up-to-date contact details for your tour manager or the band member handling tech.

A short covering email

Keep the email short and friendly. For example: “Hi [name], looking forward to playing at your venue on [date]! Attached is our rider (technical + hospitality + stage plot). Let us know if anything isn’t possible and we’ll happily work around it. See you then!” An open, collaborative tone always works better than a list of demands.

Read next: How to make a technical rider → · Hospitality rider: what to include →