A “rider” for a live music event is the document generated by the artist’s team that includes all his demands, from the setup of the stage to the backstage needs.
The riders are listed as a contract between the promoter and the artist and its breach could lead to the cancellation of the show; that is why the production teams of the event must take into account every detail of the rider.
There is no base template for all riders, they can arrive in many different shapes, formats and lengths. Although the rider can be a single document, many artists divide these needs into different types of riders: technical rider, sound rider, light rider, hospitality rider, safety rider, special effects rider, Green Rider, among others.
GREEN RIDER
The Green Rider, also known as Sustainability Rider or Eco Rider, offers an opportunity for artists to reduce their environmental impact through clear demands for environmental preservation during their concert or participation in a festival.
Having a document that, by contract, must be fulfilled on all dates of a world tour, ensures the involvement of the promoter and local teams in the reduction of waste generation and pollution.
While there are internationally recognized artists who include the Green Rider in their needs for decades, Green Riders have begun to normalize in recent years.
Associations such as Reberb struggle daily to implement sustainability on tours, partnering with musicians, festivals and venues. Reberb also makes available to all industry professionals an example of Green Rider that can be downloaded for free.
You can also read this article about a greener future for live events.
Jack Johnson: Pioneering the Environmentally Conscious Tour Model
Over the years, Jack Johnson has pioneered environmentally conscious tours. Inspired by the actions of artists such as Willie Nelson, Neil Young, Dave Matthews Band and U2, Johnson is very clear: he will only play at venues and festivals willing to implement his Green Rider and incorporate sustainable alternatives.
In this interesting interview at Pollstar, Johnson says that for him the easiest option would have been to stop touring but that by doing this the tour model would follow the same path without any change in favor of sustainability.
Jack Johnson decided to institute a policy of 0 plastics in his concerts, working hand in hand with promoters and venues. It was at his show in the Santa Barbara Bowl, a renowned California venue, that Johnson got a completely plastic-free concert.
“Seeing no single-use plastic at the Santa Barbara Bowl show was a great moment, we realized it could be done.” – Jack Johnson, Pollstar.
Johnson is the creator of the BYOBottle initiative, which encourages artists, venues, festivals and fans to reduce plastic pollution at live events, by promoting reusable water bottles and recharging stations, both backstage and at the FOH.
MILKY CHANCE: GREEN RIDER COVERING EVERY DETAIL
The band Milky Chance also features an extensive Green Rider, one of the most detailed in the current scene.
One of the most outstanding actions is that, with the intention of polluting as little as possible, they only travel on tour with the backline, lighting equipment and sound strictly necessary; they always use the venue equipment.
Regarding transport, they ask each promoter to make available to fans the necessary information on public transport, bicycle parking and car sharing options. For your own transportation and accommodation, ask for information on electric taxi service; the hotel should also be as close as possible to the compound to minimize the journey.
Finally, hospitality needs are based on minimal power consumption in dressing rooms possible, as well as tight food&beverage requests. In case of leftover food in your dressing room, it would be given to the production staff or donated. Plus, they travel with their own glasses and cups to avoid using plastics!
COLDPLAY: AN INTEGRAL VISION
International bands such as Coldplay also express their concern about climate change in the production of their concerts. The actions included in the green rider allow us to unite the mission of the Coldplay brand, focused on the preservation of the environment, with its world tour.
«We will take time over the next year or two to determine how our tour can not only be sustainable but also how it can be actively beneficial » – Chris Martin, BBC News
These two years served the Colplay team to write a Green Rider that affects not only the production of the concert, but also the fan experience before and during the concert.
Its zero tolerance to plastic leads the band to ban plastic water bottles in the assembly areas and backstage, and to be replaced by canteens and water stations. Plastic is also not allowed in kitchens or in prepared food.
Fans also participate in this generation of energy with the implementation of a floor in which to dance and kinetic bicycles that generate power from movement.
Soon we will have in Spain Coldplay, with its four dates in the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys and we will share our experience.
These world tours focused on the common good and care of the planet have transformed the way live music is experienced by taking an ecological perspective. Sustainability has been prioritized in this new way of enjoying live music.