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The 20 Craziest Tour Riders in Music History

Come on, who really needs all of this stuff on the road?

Image via Complex Original

Every so often, the tour rider for a certain act or band will appear online, inspiring discussion of how ridiculous, crazy, and absurd said act or band is with their requests while out on the road.

In addition to outlining security, insurance policies, and other technical items, these lists provide some insight into exactly what makes your favorite act tick while hanging out backstage. It also sheds some light on just  how comfortable they need to be before rocking a huge crowd.

Many times, a rider is actually revealing of the the non-diva qualities of certain music superstars like  Nicki Minaj  and Rihanna , whose "zaniest" requests are just a ton of candles, lotions, and choice beverages. But highlighting those riders would be, well, boring compared to those of acts like Metallica , Madonna , and Iggy Pop .

Those three, along with 17 others, appear in our rundown of the craziest tour riders in music history. Read on for reassurance that your life is exceedingly normal.

Written by Andrew Martin ( @Andrew_J_Martin )

RELATED: The Oral History of the Rihanna 150: A #777 Tour Survival Story RELATED: The 25 Funniest Tweets From the LongLiveA$AP Tour RELATED: Ne-Yo's 5 Craziest Tour Stories

Craziest request : Nivea chapstick

Drake likes to keep fresh, so he brings along trimmers to avoid nightmares of this . When he last spoke to Complex, he told us he had a built-in shower and it seems he's slightly obsessed by the finer aesthetics.

As such, he carries Dr. Bronner’s peppermint soap, described as something that "tingles the body and clears the mind.” [Insert Drizzy-is-soft jokes, here.] Keep in mind these are items he brings along when performing music on tour, but by the looks of things, you would think he's prepping for his Degrassi  high school reunion.

Full list of items : Four dozen natural-scented incense sticks, Dr. Bronner’s peppermint soap, pork-free food, E-Z Wider rolling papers and a pack of Dutch Master President cigars, Pinot Grigio, Heineken, bottles of Jack Daniel’s, Patron Silver tequila, a bottle of Hennesey or Courvoisier, Grey Goose, Andis T-Outliner trimmers , and extra sets of speakers.

Craziest request : "No less than 10 percent of all security personnel should be female"

Miniature chocolates? Check. A massage room with a ton of ginseng extract? Sure. But female security guards? Not for Bush. During one of their jaunts, the Gavin Rossdale-lead band requested that "ideally no less than 10 percent of all security personnel should be female." Interesting.

Full list of items : Gatorade, soft drinks, skimmed milk, fruitless baskets, Marlboro Lights, hot salsa, and six-packs of beer.

Craziest request : A late model Maybach ('57 or '62) with tinted windows

So Jigga went from Marcy-projects hustler to requesting late model 'Bachs while on tour. What does he need a Maybach for? To take some spins around the parking lot a la "Otis" with some middle-aged chicks? For his safety, let's hope the the ones he's provided with aren't the chopped and screwed ones with missing doors.

As for the champagne and snacks, "I went to One Trump Plaza on their asses/No room service, just snacks and shit"—at least Hov's staying true to his word.

Full list of items : A couple six-packs of Sapporo, a bottle of Belvedere Vodka, two bottles of Patron Silver, two bottles of red, Italian wine from Bolgheri Region, two Ace of Spades bottles, and peanut butter and jelly.

Craziest request : "Access to a 'Rock Friendly' lawyer, medical doctor, dentist, masseuse and/or chiropractor"

Just because a band makes heavy, loud, and moshpit-causing music doesn't mean that the members are down with gettin' wild. And even if they are, they at least want to come prepared. That's where Korn comes in, as they want to make sure they're covered if things get out of control backstage or during the show. What's interesting, though, is that they also request that there are blockades and locked doors all over the place. Better safe than sorry, right?

Full list of items : Phone lines, 20 meals for lunch and dinner, 72 full-size towels, private, clean bathrooms with dimmable lights, ashtrays and rubbish bins.

16. Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails

Craziest  request : Two boxes of corn starch

Over the years, Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor has bulked up considerably, but that doesn't mean he's moved away from tight clothing. And to ensure said clothing doesn't stay adhered to his skin during his lively performances, he requests not one but TWO boxes of corn starch. We have to imagine he'd get pretty chafed if NIN didn't come out of the gate with some of their heavier joints ... or if there's any kind of delay.

Full list of items : Budweiser, Bud Lite, "very good" red wine, soft drinks, juice, Gatorade, specific lunch and dinner menus.

15. Foo Fighters

Craziest  request : Various anecdotal requests

The Foo Fighters must take the crown of having the pickiest and most absurd rider requests. This shit is downright outrageous yet amusing. From used DVDs (no sports titles or Martin Lawrence) to any magazine (No Spin , Rolling Stone , or People ) that "show us you have a brain and fantastic interests"—these are full of "WTF" demands. And this one takes the cake: "Please make arrangements for leftover food to be collected by a local soup kitchen, homeless shelter or our roadie that looks like Osama Bin Laden." #EnoughSaid

Full list of items : Iced-down beer, bottles of San Pellegrino water, cooler with ice, small box of Emergen-C, shower gel, DVDs (used are fine), and magazines.

14. Metallica

Craziest  request : Lots of bacon

Nothing says "one of the most successful crossover metal bands in history" like bacon, right? RIGHT? Well, it should, because that's exactly what these guys want when they hit your venue. In fact, it's so important that they want it available for every single meal of the day. But that's not the case for some of the guys on the crew, as they are vegetarians. Why did we point that out? Because Metallica makes that point explicitly in their 24-page tour rider that also outlines the way they want alcohol sales handled, the band's insurance policy, and more than you can imagine.

Full list of items : Hot breakfast for 100 people that includes A LOT of fresh fruit, two gallons of every juice you can think of, nine or so different brands of cereal, assorted sodas and Gatorade flavors, hot coffee that must be kept up, and much more.

13. Gnarls Barkley

Craziest  request : One pack of Magnum condoms

Groupies and artists are a match-made in heaven. And in some cases, these artists are actually smart enough to perform, bang a groupie in their hotel room, and still leave the city knowing they ain't gotta worry about a baby mama. Gnarls Barkley—the duo of Danger Mouse and Cee Lo Green—are veterans in the game so they have a few tricks up their sleeves. Or, at least, they have common knowledge to practice safe sex by stocking up on Magnum condoms while on the road. What's with the athletic socks, though?

Full list of items : At least two pairs of white men's athletic socks, Swisher Sweets blunts, and bottles of Hennessy and Grey Goose.

12. Ozzy Osborne

Craziest  request : A nose, ear and throat doctor

In his younger years, you can bet that Ozzy Osborne asked for some bizarre items to land on his tour rider and, of course, plenty of booze and drugs. But in 1999? Dude just wanted to stay healthy. As such, he made sure a doctor was on hand to take care of his nose, ears, and throat, just in case. Also, Ozzy needed three tanks of oxygen because, apparently, you can never have enough oxygen. 

Full list of items : Three oxygens tanks available at load-in and the doctor must be able to administer a B-12 shot. Also, plenty of fire extinguishers.

11. Lil Wayne

Craziest  request : Private jet

You could only imagine what one of the biggest rap stars in the world would bring along on tour. It would be one helluva party—huge entourage, girls, alcohol, the usual. But having superstar status like Weezy requires a little bit of extra, with said extra being a private jet because buses are overrated. Also, he requires a police escort because, let's face it, he's got some enemies out there. Not only that, but his fanbase has reached a pinnacle, meaning plenty of screaming, adoring fans looking to get a piece of Weezy.

Full list of items : Police escort, five-star hotel accommodations, Gatorade, vodka, Red Bull energy drinks, assorted candy and potato chips.

Craziest  request : Female extras at every tour stop

Gummies, vodka, chocolate, blah blah blah. But humans? M.I.A. requests for female extras to be on board for every stop of her tour. Requirement? Lots of stage presence but we're assuming not too much. We're pretty sure she wouldn't want to be overshadowed by her extras, especially when they have to be onstage with her during the entirety of the show while being drapped in Burkas. For someone who has had a history of outrageous and eclectic moments [Read: Super Bowl], should we really be surprised at what M.I.A. needs to keep herself pleased?

Full list of items : Twenty-four 500 mL bottles of non-carbonated spring water. Must be Evian or Fiji. A container of organic dried blueberries, a container of quality assorted olives, a variety of quality chocolates such as Ferrero Rocher, one small bag of sour gummy candy, one 750 mL botlle of Ketel One Vodka, a bottle of Absynthe, a bottle of Mount Gay rum, a six pack of Heineken.

9. Van Halen

Craziest  request : No brown M&Ms

The craziest thing about Van Halen's request for no brown M&Ms is how NOT crazy it actually is but rather how sensible it actually is. So why did these guys, some of the biggest partiers of the '80s, want to make sure there were no brown M&Ms in their candy dishes? Simple: it was all to make sure that every other portion of their rider was followed. Genius, no?  

Full list of items : One breakfast for eight people at 6 a.m. followed by another at 8:30 for 20 people. If feasible, said breakfast should be hot and cooked, and it will features four cases of soda, four gallons of milk, two gallons of chocolate milk, two dozen English muffins, two dozen raisin muffins, three loaves of whole-wheat bread, one dozen hard-boiled eggs, assorted cereals, and more.

No beer provided until dinner at 6 p.m., but before that there's a lunch with a minimum of 44 sandwiches and food and drinks for 24 people. At dinner, the meat and vegetable options switch on odd and even days while there are potatoes, breads, and desserts served every days.

Two cases of beer (Heineken and Budweiser) with dinner with two more of those cases given to producer's stage manager at 7 p.m. There are more food and booze requirements for the band outside of their meals along with the request of one large tube of KY Jelly. Sure.

8. Steve Aoki

Craziest  request : Two medium-sized cakes reading “DIM MAK”

Picking out the most ridiculous request by Steve Aoki wasn't easy. The DJ/producer is becoming increasingly well known for his off-the-wall live shows that typically include—you guessed it—those two medium-sized cakes. What does he do with them? Well, let's just say he learned how to share at a young age. Also, props to anyone who requests that he needs an inflatable raft, because nothing says crowd participation like riding their hands like the rapids.

Full list of items "Inflatable boat or dingie, four confetti blast machines, handheld CO2 air blower, no self-powered speakers, only a Pioneer DJM-900 Nexus mixer, and other electronic goodies for his setup. Lots of drinks: 48 bottled waters, four Vita Coco drinks, eight ORGAIN protein drinks, two bottles of premium vodka, three bottles of champagne (cork only!), two bottles of Cristal, and much more booze. Even more food and drinks at the hotel, which must be within two miles of the venue."

Craziest  request : A wig room

Cher stands out like no other when it comes to her public image. The tats, the plastic surgery, and her fashion sense outshine the rest, but it's her ever-changing hairstyles that catch the most attention. Hell, she even has a personal room carrying all her wigs. And if that's not outrageous enough, how about fresh cut Casa Blanca lilies, and 12 black solo cups to keep the Goddess of Pop from throwing a hissy fit and ripping out her hair. No wait...

Full list of items : Black solo cups, lilies, M&Ms, beverages (from soda to alcohol), and pizza.

6. Mary J. Blige

Craziest  request : Private toilet (with new toilet seat)

Nobody likes using the public restroom. Quit frontin', you would rather hold it in than use the toilet at your local Mexican burrito joint. Mary J. Blige knows this better than anyone as she requests her own private toilet (with a new toilet seat!) at every city she visits. She also focuses on coziness, requesting extensive lighting, a humidifier, clothes rack, phone line, flowers, and a love seat. Touring means you'll be away from the comfier aspects of your home, but the queen of hip-hop soul doesn't have to worry about that. 

Full list of items : Hot and cold running water, a large vanity with mirror, extensive lighting, humidifiers, a loveseat, matching lamp tables, pack of Mentos, soft drinks, water, and tea.

5. Motley Crue

Craziest  request : A sub-machine gun

You would think the Motley Crue guys would tone the craziness down when they stopped drinking alcohol right? Wrong. In their post-booze days, they could be found requesting 12-foot boa constrictors, a jar of creamy peanut butter, some Grey Poupon mustard, and, oh, a sub-machine gun. Yeah. And in case they got close to wanting another drink, they needed to know the location of the nearest Alcoholics Anonymous meeting that night. 

Full list of items : Alcoholics Anonymous meeting locations, a jar of creamy peanut butter, a 12-foot-long boa constrictor, and a jar of Grey Poupon mustard.

Craziest  request : 20 international phone lines

If you're Madonna, you can do whatever the hell you want no matter how outrageous it seems because guess what? You're Madonna. A 200-person entourage that'll put Waka Flocka's crew to shame? Check. 20 international phone lines to call all her celebrity friends and tell them how amazing it is to be Madonna? Check.

And she might as well bring her whole house with her, too, or at least something that closely resembles that. Nothing feels better than home so she ships her home furniture along every stop of the tour to make sure her backstage room looks exactly like the friendly confines of whatever mansion she's living in nowadays.

Full list of items : 200-person entourage, her backstage room must look exactly like her own home (that means she ships around her furniture), special flower-scented fabric, actual flowers, personal chef who prepares only vegan foods, and her own dry-cleaning service.

3. Marilyn Manson

Craziest  request : A bald-headed, toothless hooker

So...anybody got a hook-up on a bald-headed, toothless hooker for Marilyn Manson? [ Silence ]. Props to whoever it is that handles Manson's rider demands, because all the money in the world wouldn't be enough for us take on that impossible task. The champagne, Doritos and cereal with 2% milk may be the closest thing to normal that Marilyn has seen since forever. Those Haribo gummi bears don't count.

Full list of items : Haribo gummi bears, mini chocolates, Doritos, cereal, 2% milk, fine cheeses, champagne (Cristal, Moet), two bottles of Absinthe, and air conditioning.

2. Iggy Pop

Craziest  request : A Bob Hope impersonator

Whether the items requested by Iggy Pop are legit or not, he wins on the basis of wanting a Bob Hope (look him up if that name's not familiar, youngsters) impersonator at every show. Not only that, but Iggy apparently wants to laugh even more, as he desires a copy of USA Today featuring at least one humorous story about obese Americans. Fair enough, Iggy, but what's with the item about the reality TV show in which people eat dog meat? Gross.

Full list of items : Entire pages dedicated to the live mixes, someone who can speak English, location of speakers and amplifiers, and colorful anecdotes about them all, including a rant about Santiago de Compostela. Also, "two dedicated and intensely loyal" security men, strong tea and coffee, assorted food, two "enormous pizzas," bread (baguettes namely), some fruit, and chocolate. "Yum, yum." And 12 bottles of "nice beer," dinner for 10 people as well as Iggy and two others, a deck of playing cards, and more. Iggy's room was to be designed by someone "loose with a little bit of flair."

1. Mariah Carey

Craziest  request : 20 white kittens and 100 doves

Mariah Carey is very diva-ish to say the least. This statement is backed by her trip to celebrate Christmas in London a few years back. The Phantom, pink carpet, security and entourage is understandable, but 20 white kittens and 100 doves are a bit excessive. A source told the Daily Mail , "We did manage to source the doves that we were going to release into the sky, but the kittens proved terribly difficult." Translation: "Like, how the fuck can we find and look after 20 white kittens at a Christmas celebration?" Fortunately for society, the request was turned down due to health and safety concerns.

Full list of items : Rolls-Royce, a pink carpet, pink podium, confetti shaped as butterflies, 80 security guards and 15-person entourage.

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you  will hopefully find a lot of them here in Cook Backstage as we go on. But do we know what we are talking about?

A Tour Rider is a document that includes a set of rules that a performer sets as criteria for a performance. This includes all requests or demands either for the artist’s comfort or the technical details needed to perform.

A TOUR RIDER USUALLY CONSISTS OF TWO PARTS: The hospitality and the technical rider

The Hospitality Rider is a list of requests all for the comfort of the artist on the day of the show.  Starting from his arrival in town, until departure, all details on transportation, accommodation, food and beverage requests, backstage supplies are here.

Common requests include:

Transportation details , hotels, room requirements.

Other items needed backstage like towels, ice, bottle openers etc.

A runner (person or persons hired to act as required to help with band and crew needs).

Security personnel and locking rooms , access to a private bathroom or shower.

The Technical Rider is a document that specifies the technical details of the agreement, type of equipment to be used, staff to be provided and other business arrangements.

Sound:  the type of Sound system, the preferred Sound desk, Channel input list – a list of the instruments being used including preferred microphones and inserts, Monitor requirements, Power Requirements etc.

Lighting:  the number and type of Spotlights to be used, lighting technicians, Power requirements, Truss weightings etc

Backline: Some bands will not transport the full backline due to the expense of transport (generally if performing only a few times in each country/area) and may have the venue provide some to all of it.

Crew: riders typically specify the number of local crew the venue should provide as well as any technical staff.

unreasonable requests

On occasion, an artist’s Rider may be seen as unreasonable or excessive.

There are some strange requests , or they sometimes ask for something that can’t be done!

These “ Unreasonable Requests “ (if legal but sometimes even if not) are contractual obligations. Failure to meet such terms can compel performance fees to be paid without a performance.

But why these requests exist?

Van Halen requested in his Rider that a bowl of M&M’s should be provided in their dressing room with the brown ones removed . Failure to do so would not only mean that the band would not perform, but the venue would still have to pay the full fee.

The objective of this was not due to any excesses on the part of the band, but was a method to determine how much attention to detail the crew at a local venue paid to the requests specified in the Rider. Should the bowl be absent, or if brown M&M’s were present, it would give band members reason to suspect other, legitimate, technical and safety issues were also being performed poorly or were outright overlooked.

David Lee Roth stated in his autobiography that this request was made as a result of faulty workmanship at a venue on an earlier tour which nearly cost the life of a member of Van Halen’s road crew . He added that at one venue where he found brown M&M’s, the management’s failure to read weight requirements in the Rider resulted in the band’s equipment sinking through the floor and causing over $80,000 of damage.

Another similar request was made by Faith No More in their 2010 Tour: “ Our Tour Manager will carry a Knife and is allowed to stab anyone desired ”. Another way to determine how much attention to the Rider the promoter did pay: If a promoter wouldn’t oppose to such a request, how sure can the band be that he did read the Rider?

Links: Wikipedia

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The Most Outrageous Backstage Rider Requests Of All Time

Bands' backstage contracts, or riders, can be incredibly amusing for fans. Take the Foo Fighters, for instance; they're a band that has never taken themselves too seriously, and their rider shows it. It's full of ridiculous joke requests for outlandish items and services. Sometimes, though, the nutty stuff isn't just written in for fun. Some celebrity riders truly have shockingly ridiculous requests.

And yes, even the greatest bands of all time have some pretty silly demands. From some not-so-surprising requests - like a stockpile of condoms - to stuff that's truly outrageous - like banning people backstage with a certain name - there have been some really incredible dressing room contract demands over the years. 

Mariah Carey's Demand For 20 Kittens And 100 Doves

With a reputation for being a diva, nothing Mariah Carey demands in her rider should be too much of a shock. One hundred white doves and a dozen kittens, though? That's pretty extra.

Apparently, Carey wanted these animals surrounding her at an appearance to turn on Christmas lights. She didn't get her wish, though, as it was opposed by health and safety officials.

"We did manage to source the doves that we were going to release into the sky, but the kittens proved terribly difficult," an official stated . "In the end, it was made clear that due to health and safety, there was no way we could have the animals at Westfield. We do not allow pets into Westfield - that rule would apply for everyone."

Kanye's Cotton Condition

According to a rider from an Australian tour, Kanye West required that his drivers - yes, his drivers -  wear 100% cotton and no other fabric while transporting him from place to place.

That's about as odd a requirement as one could imagine from a pop star at any level. 

Madonna's Personal Furnishings

Madonna is basically pop royalty, and her tour rider pretty much reflects that. She's got some standard diva stuff in there, like personal chefs and whatnot, but there are also quite a few items that are extravagent and shocking. Would you believe Madonna demands a brand-new toilet seat everywhere she goes?

Stuff like that is rumored to be all over her rider, but there's one requirement that really tops them all: She reportedly ships all of her furniture around with her, and demands that any hotel furniture be removed and replaced with her own. That way, anywhere she goes feels like home. 

Christina Aguilera's Traffic Terms

According to her tour rider, Christina Aguilera isn't a fan of traffic. In fact, she hates it so much that she demands a police escort to every show. The rider stipulates that Christina and her team need to be escorted through traffic , and that "under no circumstances are the vehicles to be allowed to encounter any delays due to traffic."

That's a pretty intense thing to ask of both a concert promoter and local police. 

Slayer's '100 Snow-White Goats'

Slayer's tour rider might get the prize for the weirdest of all time - even though it's very clearly a joke. The metal band requests a variety of outlandish things in their rider, including 50,000 live bees, 10 cases of Gogurt, a Bowflex, a human skull filled with Red Hots, and more.

The thing that makes it the greatest rider ever? Their request for "100 snow-white goats for slaughter." That's a metal rider if there ever was one.

Katy Perry's Flower Embargo

Katy Perry has some pretty specific demands for her floral arrangements backstage - namely, an absolute disdain for carnations. The "Firework" singer apparently asks for "white and purple hydrangeas, pink & white roses and peonies" but makes it clear in all caps (and underlined) that "ABSOLUTELY NO CARNATIONS" are allowed. 

Aside from that flower request, Perry's rider stipulates that drivers are under no circumstances allowed to talk to her while she's being escorted, nor are they allowed to even look at her in the rearview mirror. 

Axl Rose's Square Melon

Axl Rose became notorious for his antics and aggressive behavior on stage and off. None of that, however, tops perhaps the strangest thing he's ever done: request a square melon in his tour rider.

Yes, you read that correctly. The Guns N' Roses singer reportedly requested on his rider that venues provide him with a square-shaped melon - something that apparently exists. According to reports, the melon is described as an item that "absolutely can't be missed." 

NSYNC's 'Toy' Room

In the backstage rider for NSYNC's world tour, there were plenty of standard items that you'd expect to see on just about any artist's request list. On one page of the rider, however, there was a request for a particularly interesting room alongside standard catering and dressing rooms:  a toy room .

At the time, the members of NSYNC were fairly young, but a toy room still seems unusual. What kind of toys were present in this room? One can only imagine. 

Jay-Z's Vintage Maybach With Tinted Windows

When you're Jay-Z, you can pretty much demand anything on the road without question, so it's not totally shocking that he wants the absolute best ground transportation anywhere he goes. In particular, he's requested a black '57 or '62 Maybach with tinted windows.

Also featured in Mr. Beyonce's rider: expensive champagne and a dressing room stocked with booze of all different kinds. 

Brandon Flowers's Precise Schedule For Food And Beverages

The Killers' Brandon Flowers might not seem like the kind of guy to have an odd tour rider demand. According to his solo rider, however, Flowers demands a certain schedule in which his food and beverages will be provided on certain days. Essentially, he bans certain foods from certain days of the week.

In the rider, Flowers's representative says he eats certain preserves only on certain days of the week. Sundays and Tuesdays are reserved for strawberry, for example. Flowers eats apricot preserves on Mondays and Thursdays, and he saves red raspberry jam for Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, according to The Smoking Gun . 

Rihanna's Animal Print Throw Rug

A 2010 rider request from singer Rihanna went viral after it was revealed that she demanded an animal print throw rug at every venue. 

The rider specifies : "1 Large throw rug, plush and animal print (Cheetah, Leopard), must be CLEAN, as she will walk on it barefoot." The pop star also called for six very specific candles: Archipelago Black Forest Candles.

Van Halen's Infamous M&M Ban

Perhaps the most notorious and well-known rider demand in the history of rock and roll, Van Halen's brown M&M's stipulation is actually quite practical and done for a sensible reason. (It's still pretty outrageous, though, if you consider the fact that every single venue had to adhere to these exact demands.)

The story goes that the band, whose shows had intense production and technical specifications that could be immense safety hazards, decided to test production staff at venues in order to gauge whether the technical aspects were up to their standard. If the venue complied with Van Halen's request, and there were indeed  no brown M&M's in their candy bowl, the band knew that the production met all their standards for safety and technical specifications.

The Stones' 'Well Groomed' Hostess Requirement

It's easy to give the Rolling Stones a pass on pretty much anything questionable in their tour rider, given that they're one of the most legendary and longest-running bands of all time. That said, one particular request is definitely eyebrow-raising.

According to reports, on their 1997-'98 world tour, the band required that "two smartly-dressed, well groomed hostesses" meet them in their dressing rooms to serve them food. Apparently, it's not as dirty as it sounds; they literally wanted well-dressed female waitresses at their service upon their arrival at the venue.

Gnarls Barkley's Magnum Condoms

Gnarls Barkley made some really incredible music, and they took advantage of their fame and popularity by asking for some essentials in their tour rider. Namely, the duo wanted blunts and bottles of Hennessy and Grey Goose vodka. They also required a box of magnum condoms .

The musicians are far from the only ones to request these particular prophylactics. Other stars like Busta Rhymes and 50 Cent have also demanded condoms on the road. 

Beyonce's Backstage Temperature

Turns out, Beyonce is pretty sensitive to temperature. Or at least that appears to be the case, according to a leaked rider. Among such demands, like all white furniture and two bars of Irish Spring soap, Queen Bey insists that the temperature in her dressing room should be a comfortable 72 degrees at all times. 

All in all, her rider is pretty tame for one of the most successful pop stars of all time. But it raises the question: What happens if the temperature is a couple degrees off? 

Pharrell's Carl Sagan Stipulation 

Pharrell Williams has acknowleged his love for the late Carl Sagan numerous times, explaining that he's got a deep admiration for the legendary astronomer and cosmologist. Taking his love for Sagan one step further, Williams reportedly requests a photo of Sagan in his dressing room . 

"I can only aspire to be someone that people learn as much from as they learned from Carl Sagan. Carl Sagan is to me what A Tribe Called Quest was to [N*E*R*D] for music," Williams said in an interview about Sagan's influence on him. 

AC/DC's Oxygen Masks

It's pretty unclear as to why AC/DC would need oxygen tanks and masks on tour, but apparently they do. According to a 2008 rider, the band requested tanks and masks in addition to some pretty reasonable requests, including "fun size" candy bars and a case of beer.

The beer wasn't allowed in dressing rooms before the show, however. Perhaps because they were filling up on oxygen?

Cher's Wig Room

It shouldn't be surprising that Cher would have a wig room in her backstage rider . The pop star's hair has become a major part of her performances. That said, imagine being such a big star, with so many wigs, that you require an entire room dedicated to them just for your show.

Ne-Yo's Ketel One Cleanser 

For whatever reason, Ne-Yo likes to have a bottle of  Ketel One  handy for cleaning. Yes, the R&B star reportedly requests the popular vodka in every city so that he can use it to clean something, though precisely what is unknown. Clothes, jewelry, microphones?

It's unclear as to why he specifically requires Ketel One, or why he doesn't just have someone take care of his drycleaning, but to each their own.

One Direction's Homemade Desserts

It turns out that everyone's favorite short-lived boy band had a collective sweet tooth. One Direction reportedly required an array of "homemade"  desserts backstage, in addition to local fast food depending on where they were (Chick-fil-A or KFC, etc.). 

Apparently, Niall Horan's favorite dessert is profiteroles (cream puffs, for American readers). 

Jack White's Guac Recipe

Rocker Jack White went viral after his tour rider leaked and revealed an unorthodox request. Sure, there were some essentials and some unsurprising requirements like specific foods and beverages, but White also included a recipe in his rider for guacamole. According to reports, he requires that the recipe be made prior to his arrival.

In an interview with NPR, chef Martin Morales said he tried the recipe and approved of White's favorite guac. "It's down to the fresh ingredients and the timing of the way each ingredient is put together," Morales said. 

Iggy Pop's Preferred Newspaper

Iggy Pop has become known for his backstage riders, which are filled with outlandish requests that are sometimes completely bonkers.

One of the silliest  stipulations in Pop's rider is that he requires an English-language newspaper like  The New York Times -  but also notes that he'd be okay with USA Today if there's a "story about morbidly obese people" in it.

Truly the work of an old-school punk rocker who doesn't take himself too seriously. 

Britney Spears's Cheeseburgers Without The Buns

At a show in London, Britney Spears apparently requested a photo of the late Princess Diana for her dressing room, as well as fish and chips and some other stereotypically British things. The Diana photo, a source said, was because she "adores the monarchy."

"Diana was in many ways her inspiration," the source explained . Spears also requested McDonald's cheeseburgers, minus the buns. 

50 Cent's Pork Ban

50 Cent's rider seems pretty standard, with food and beverage requests, though he apparently doesn't like pork at all.

A leaked rider revealed that the rapper completely banned pork from anywhere in his vicinity at all times. He did, however, welcome a couple boxes of Lifestyles Rough Riders condoms.

The Rolling Stones' Written Instructions

Sometimes it's easy to forget that the Rolling Stones are old, since they've been touring nonstop for half a century. But, if you need a reminder that they're most certainly aging rockers, look no further than their tour rider.

In their list of venue requirements, the band reportedly specifies that they need written instructions for all electronics in their dressing rooms to ensure that the members know how to use them properly. In other words, they're not very technologically savvy. 

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The 20 most ridiculous things superstar musicians have demanded at their concerts

Van Halen demanded all the brown M&M's be removed  from the group's candy bowl. Turns out that's just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to music stars' backstage demands.

Outlets like  The Smoking Gun  and Defamer have reported on a variety of leaked backstage documents  known as tour riders. A tour rider sets the terms that a venue must fulfill for an artist's performance. We sifted through 20 such riders to see what major musicians want in their dressing rooms. It can get pretty weird.

Some requests may confirm diva suspicions — as with Kanye West's various requests for a barber's chair and a Coke and Hennessy slushy machine. But we were more surprised by other requests, like one rap star who demanded Lunchables.

From specific scented candles to organic honey bans, see what the biggest artists ask for backstage:

Beyoncé demands her dressing room be kept at 78 degrees and asks for chicken legs "HEAVILY SEASONED" with cayenne pepper  and rose-scented candles . And don't have Coca-Cola products anywhere near her — Beyoncé can only be seen with Pepsi products due to a contractual agreement. The Demands:

1 Large table for catering dressed with white tablecloths. Dressing room should be 78 degrees 4 Brand New White Towels in bathroom (2 face & 2 body)

Hot Food:  Juicy Baked Chicken: Legs, Wings & Breast only (Please season with fresh garlic, season salt, black pepper, and Cayenne pepper HEAVILY SEASONED!!) Steamed Garlic Broccoli Lightly Seasoned Green Beans Lightly Seasoned Steamed Spinach 

Beyoncé can only have Pepsi products. 1 Case of Aquafina water (half cold, half room temperature) 1 Hot Tea Set up (Please have NEW Coffee Pot) Sliced Lemons Wedges Rose scented candles Lighter for candles CD player 

Adele 's many requests include chicken salad sandwiches, Marlboro Lights, the "best quality" red wine, and six metal teaspoons in her dressing room. She also bans organic honey. The Demands :  12 Small bottles still (non-carbonated) spring water (at room temperature) 1 Electric kettle for BOILING water 6 Large mugs for tea. All mugs should be new, washed and dried. 6 metal teaspoons 2 "Squeezy" bottles clear honey (not organic)  1 Bottle very best quality red wine (Italian, French or Spanish) 1 Assortment of chewing gum 1 Pack Marlboro Light plus 1 disposable cigarette lighter 1 Small selection fresh fruit, to include bananas, apples, grapes, fresh berries NO CITRUS FRUIT! 1 Small plate of assorted freshly made, individually wrapped sandwiches, to include chicken salad. Sandwiches must NOT contain tomatoes, vinegar, chili or citrus fruit  

Among Kanye 's previous requests are a barber's chair, Carmex lip balm, shower shoes, and a lot of alcohol. On his most recent "Saint Pablo" tour, West demanded a slushy machine with mixes of Coke and Hennessy and Grey Goose and lemonade.

The Demands:

1 Tub Plain Yogurt for dipping 4 small Yoplait Yogurt  1 Bowl of assorted nuts 1 Bowl of Sunkist Salted Pistachio Nuts (No Red Coloring) 2 Packs of Extra Chewing Gum 1 Bottle of Hot Sauce (Tabasco, Caribbean Type) 1 Box of Toothpicks 1 750 ml bottle of Hennessey Liquor 1 750 ml bottle of SKY or Absolut Vodka 1 Bottle of Patron Silver Tequila 4 Six Packs of Heineken Beer

The  singer  insists on blue or black drapes layered with "icy-blue chiffon." Rihanna also needs an animal-print throw rug and has a very specific candle request. 

5 AC power outlets Adequate lighting for a "relaxed atmosphere" White drapes to cover lockers and/or brick 1 Humidifier 1 Large throw rug — plush and animal print (Cheetah, Leopard) … must be CLEAN, as she will walk on it barefoot. Pipe and Drape the room in Dark Blue or Black drapes with Icy Blue Chiffon draped nicely on top 6 Candles — Archipelago Black Forest (if you can't get these, please let me know ASAP as we have a 2nd choice of candle for Ri). 4 Small, clear, square vases with White Tulips, no foliage (2nd choice: White Casablanca Lilies no foliage, 3rd choice: White Freesia, no foliage)

Don't bring Katy Perry carnations. In addition to very specific flower rules, the "Teenage Dream" singer's food list is quite specific, complete with freeze-dried strawberries and Santa Margarita Pinot Grigio.  

Arrangement of pink fresh flowers. White and purple hydrangeas, pink & white roses and peonies. If not available, seasonal white flowers to include white orchids–ABSOLUTELY NO CARNATIONS. A box of Huggies baby nature care wipes 6 Vitamin waters zero, assorted flavors Bowl of whole fresh organic grown fruit (apples, bananas, oranges and grapes) Plate of fresh-cut Crudités (to include cucumber, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, snap peas, celery) w/ ranch dip Snyder's of Hanover Honey Mustard & Onion Pretzel Jar of Salsa Baked (blue corn if possible) Tortilla Chips Freeze dried strawberries 2 bottles of Santa Margarita Pinot Grigio Throat coat, Twinnings Chamomile PG tips and Mint medley tea. Fuze slenderize assorted flavors A jar of quality honey Plastic drinking straws

Sir Paul McCartney

The animal-rights supporter bans fur, leather, and meat from his dressing room. The Beatle is also big with plants.

The Demands:  All lamps must be halogen floor lamps with dimmer switch. Only animal free materials (cottons, denims, velour, etc.) Do not provide furniture made of any animal skin or print. Do not provide artificial versions of animal skin or print either. No leather seating is allowed in the black stretch limousine either. Arrange for a dry cleaner before arrival. 6 Full and leafy floor plants, but no trees. We want plants that are just as full on the bottom as the top such as palm, bamboo, peace lilies, etc. No tree trunks! $50.00 - One large arrangement of white Casablanca lilies with lots of foliage. $40.00 - One long stemmed arrangement of pale pink and white roses with lots of foliage. $35 One arrangement of freesia. It comes in various colors so please mix them up. Freesia is a favorite. 20 dozen clean towels outside of the production office.

Mariah Carey

Mariah Carey 's list includes eight "tall, leafy plants," Joe Malone vanilla candles, two vases of white roses, and drapes around every perimeter.

Each room must be draped. Black drapes are fine. The entry door should open into the living room space, not the dressing room. Temperature should be about 75 degrees. 1 Three Seat Couch — Plain Color, no busy patterns; black, dark grey, cream, dark pink are fine 12 1 Liters of Fiji Water 3 Bottles Chardonnay — Chilled 12 Coke 12 Diet Coke 12 Vanilla Protein Drinks 6 Sparkling Water (Pellegrino) 12 Melon Flavor Gatorade 6 Red Wine Glasses 6 White Wine Glasses 4 Joe Malone Vanilla Candles 2 Vases White Roses Fried Chicken (warm) 12 Small Bottles water (room temperature) 3 Whole lemons and honey Sugarless gum

The "Rap God" isn't too high-maintenance . Other than fruit, food, and drinks, he just wants access to some weights to work out. Make sure Marshall Mathers also has a CD player that can play burned CDs and some Lunchables. 

The Demands: 

25 pound dumbbells 24-Diet Coke 16oz plastic bottles 12 Diet Coke 12oz cans 6 Verner ginger ale soda (or Schweppes) 48 Daisani, Poland Spring 12oz bottles "NO Evian" 1 Loaf white bread  1 Loaf wheat bread 6 Lunchables snacks (3 turkeys & 3 ham with cheese) 6 Cans Red Bull 16 Cans Sugar-Free Red Bull Large fresh jumbo shrimps with cocktail sauce and plenty of lemons 1 Jar of banana pepper rings

Grace Jones

The '70s and '80s legend Grace Jones wants oysters and insists that she will do "her own shucking" of her requested molluscs, according to the following excerpt of her tour rider list leaked by Defamer . She also needs a lot of very specific wine bottles.

6 Bottles of Louis Roederer Cristal Champagne 3 Bottles of French Vintage red wine (e.g. St Emilion, Medoc, Bordeaux) 3 Bottles of French Vintage white wine (e.g. Sancerre, Pouilly Fuisse) 2 Dozen Findeclare or Colchester Oysters on ice (unopened)—(Grace does her own shucking.) 2 Sashimi and Sushi platters for 8 people 6 Fresh lemons 1 Bottle of Tabasco sauce 1 Fresh fruit platter for 8 people 6 Bottles of Coca Cola 12 Bottles of still and sparkling water 12 Bottles of fresh fruit juices Wine glasses, champagne flutes, tumblers (all glass, no plastic) Cutlery and sharp knife 1 Oyster knife 1 Make up mirror (no neon strip lighting, only opaque white bulbs) Fresh towels, clothes hangers, clothes rail 3-4 Bunches of flowers—prefer lilys and orchids Sofa and arm chairs

According to Complex , Drake requests two specific brands of body care items: Nivea chapstick and Dr. Bronner's peppermint soap, which he says " tingles the body and clears the mind."

Four dozen natural-scented incense sticks  Dr. Bronner’s peppermint soap Pork-free food E-Z Wider rolling papers and a pack of Dutch Master President cigars Pinot Grigio Heineken B ottles of Jack Daniel’s Patron Silver tequila

Nivea chapstick

A  bottle of Hennesey or Courvoisier Grey Goose Andis T-Outliner trimmers Extra sets of speakers

Jack White's rider made headlines last year for its explicit "no banana policy" — which White later attributed to an allergy on his touring team — and its inclusion of a highly specific homemade guacamole recipe. 

1 dozen chicken wings (buffalo, teryaki, suprise us) 1 bowl of FRESH HOME-MADE GUACAMOLE (recipe below ) 8 champagne flutes (real glass) 8 wine glasses (real glass) 8 highball glasses (real glass) 1 hummus & pita chips iPod player with sufficient volume control NO fluorescent lighting PLEASE NOTE: This is a NO BANANA TOUR. (Seriously)

Madonna's brief yet complex tour rider list reportedly requires room for her 200-person entourage and 20 international phone lines to call friends in other countries, according to Complex .

200-person entourage 2o international phone lines Her backstage room must look exactly like her own home (that means she ships around her furniture) Special flower-scented fabric Actual flowers Personal chef who prepares only vegan foods Her own dry-cleaning service

Alicia Keys

Give all the room-temperature Evian (and Aquafina) water to Alicia Keys . The singer asks for chocolate almond milk, tuna sandwiches, and specific Glade candle scents.

The Demands:   7 sets of metal silverware 1 Lighter 3 Glade Candles (French Vanilla, Rain shower, Wild Berry, Tangerine Ginger) 3 Cans of Chunk White Tuna 10 Nutri-Grain Bars (Blueberry, Cherry, Apple, Strawberry) 6 Individual Packets of Quaker Oats Instant Oatmeal (Brown Sugar and Apple Cinnamon) 1 Assorted Fruit Platter with strawberries, seedless red grapes, bananas, mango, blueberries, cantaloupe and raspberries 2 Cases of beer (one imported and one domestic; brands preferred: Amstel Light, Corona, Bud, Bud Light or local beer) 3 menus for local seafood and Italian restaurants to order meals for Alicia

Jay Z 's rider requires a confounding seven separate dressing rooms, as well as "good quality" peanut butter and jelly and a clean bucket of ice. 

The Demands: 7 Dressing Rooms Desired room temperature of 72 degrees 1 Love Seat 1 Large Couch 2 Matching End Tables 2 48 Cases of Fiji Water (24 cold/24 room temperature) 6 Cans of Coca-Cola 6 Cans of Red Bull 6 Bottles of Vitamin Water 1 Jar of good quality peanut butter 1 Jar of good quality grape jelly 1 Hot tea service for 4: hot water kettle, ceramic and disposable cups All requests for alcohol were shaved from the list.

Mary J. Blige

R&B legend  Mary J. Blige will not use a "public" toilet, in any sense of the word. Her rider list requires a "private toilet (with new toilet seat)." 

2 Humidifiers 10 medium prewashed bath sized towels NO DAIRY OR PORK OF ANY KIND!! 10 1.5 liter bottles of FIJI water (absolutely, positively must be FIJI) 6 cans of Diet Dr. Pepper 6 cans of Schweeps Ginger Ale 2 packs of Mentos — cinnamon fresh only 6 cans of Red Bull energy drink 6 bottles of Black Cherry Propells in sports bottle 8 sets of silverware 24 napkins 1 tub of clean ice

Break out the blenders for Mother Monster . Gaga gets an entire smoothie station in her dressing room.  The Demands:  2 Bottles of white wine with wine opener — Kendall Jackson or Robert Mondavi preferred 1 Pack of Straws 1 Cushioned office style chair TV with cable and a DVD player 1 Rolling clothing rack  4 Unscented candles Cool-mist humidifier 3 fans Tea kettle, organic ginger and lemongrass tea and honey are very important. 1 4 pack of Red Bull Light (on ice) 2 Bottles of Green Tea 1 Container of Guacamole Hot dogs (Yves veggie dogs eaten with toothpicks) A smoothie station (with frozen berries, fuze and whey protein or non-fat Greek yogurt) Blender needed 1 Plate of cheese (non-smelly, non-sweaty on ice) with whole wheat/healthy crackers A mix of assorted fresh fruit (cut and must have edible skin OR edible seeds OR citrus)

Cher 's extensive (and dated) list from a 1999 tour demands a "wig room," rooms for her male and female dancers, and one for Dr. Stacey, a massage therapist, among many other things.

1 Wig Room 1 Room for Dr. Stacey 1 bottle of fine red wine (No Kendall Jackson) 1 bottle of fine white wine (No Kendall Jackson) 4 Cokes 4 Diet Cokes 1 coffee table 1 end table for the phone to be placed on TV with VCR with a cable Hook up. Please make sure we can get the following channels: Turner Classic Movies or AMC.

Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift' s tour buses are essentially the equivalent of a dorm room. Just make sure if she's arriving before 11 a.m. you've made a pit stop to Starbucks. 

The Demands: If arriving before 11 a.m., the following from Starbucks:

1 Grande ICED Caramel Latte w/ 2 sweet-n-lows 1 Grande ICED Americano w/ 2 sweet-n-lows with soy milk 1 slice pumpkin loaf

1 Stick Butter 3 Boxes Kraft Macaroni/Cheese 2 Four Packs of Red Bull 1 12 Pack Corona Beer 1 12 Pack New Castle Beer 1 Bottle Welch's Grape Juice 1 Avocado 1 Bag of Twizzlers red licorice 1 Case of Smart Water 1 Pint Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream 1 Pint Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Brownie Frozen Yogurt

Punk icon Iggy Pop's 18-page rider from 2006 is a monstrosity that includes, among many ridiculous requests, a demand for "Somebody dressed as Bob Hope" to do impersonations of the dead comedian.

A copy of USA Today that's got a story about morbidly obese people in it 6 bottles of Grolsch or decent local beer F------ loads of good red wines 6 large bottles of good quality sparkling water 3 cases x 12 oz bottles of still mineral water 6 bottles of alcohol free beer 1 case of big bottles of good, premium beer A bottle of vodka Cauliflower/broccoli, cut into individual florets and thrown immediately into the garbage. I f------ hate that.

Van Halen's infamous "no brown M&M's"  request was reportedly instituted so that concert promoters would be forced to pay close attention to all the items on their extensive list — or else forfeit the profits of their show, due to a contract clause. You can find a sampling of their ridiculous rider below and the full version at The Smoking Gun.

Nuts  Pretzels M&MS (WARNING: ABSOLUTELY NO BROWN ONES) 1 large tube of KY jelly 3 packs of Marlboro cigarettes (box) Herring in sour cream 2 gallons non-carbonated, bottled spring water 3 fifths Jack Daniels Black Label bourbon 2 fifths Stolichnaya vodka 1 pint Southern Comfort 2 bottles Blue Nun white wine

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How to Properly Make a Hospitality Rider

Let’s face it, something as basic as a display of food and drinks on a table in the dressing room is one of the most important components of any gig. In this article, we’re going to go through a bunch of steps on how to properly make and utilize a hospitality rider.

Unfortunately, the rider never gets fully used and can be a giant waste of money for whoever is paying for it. It’s become a list, that over time has grown with random items added by the revolving door of techs, hired guns, and general aspirations.

How many times have you asked or been asked, “Can we add this to the rider?” or my favorite, the suggestions… “You know what you should add to the rider…” Then proceed to tell you something that they’ve only eaten once and will never eat again. That is how to create a long list of wasted products that continue to show up even long after they’re no longer requested.

So look, If you’re looking to see some exotic details on celebrity riders, I get it. But, this isn’t the place. Follow the link here to the smoking gun instead. But… If you wanna know how to build a useful and effective hospitality rider, we’ll need to break this down into a couple different categories.

• What’s the purpose of the rider?
• Who pays for it?
• How is it dealt with on the road?
• How to build one that fits your camp.

So, What’s the Purpose of the Rider?

For those of you that know what the Hospitality Rider is, bear with me for a second. For those of you that don’t, it’s a list of hospitality items (groceries) that a touring party requests to be delivered backstage. Its purpose is to help the artist and crew have food and drinks in between meals. This is also the opportunity to order your alcohol needs for the day.

I’ve mentioned in previous articles that the mythical hospitality rider is sometimes used for artists to ask for outlandish shit. Where they’ll ask for stuff that doesn’t matter, stuff that they think will make them look cool, or items that they’ve heard that someone else has on their rider. But the actual purpose (if used correctly) can be a very useful tool.

Here are some examples of some very common rider requests:

• Drinks – Water, beer, liquor, wine, mixes for dranks, coconut water, gatorade, etc.
• Snacks – Meat and cheese platters, dried fruit, nuts, crackers, granola bars, chips and salsa, veggie and fruit trays, etc.
• Sandwich Items – Meat and cheese from the platter, peanut butter, buns and bread, condiments, etc.
• Misc Items – Manuka Honey, gum, tums, hand sanitizer, cups, cutlery, napkins, etc.

These are the essentials found on almost every rider. To be honest, rightfully so. These are pretty good snack suggestions. But where does it stop? I think to draw the line, we need to address the golden question…

Who Pays for the Rider?

There are 2 different scenarios when trying to find out who actually ends up paying for the rider. It’s a common misconception that these items need to be provided at every show, no matter what the engagement is.

1 – Festival/Promoter Pays for the Rider

If you’re playing at a festival with sponsors or anywhere that the contract states a Flat Deal (when there are no overages based on ticket sales), then it’s usually up to the promoter to provide hospitality at their cost.

Often times, they will cross items out on your list when signing back the contract. This is the smart thing to do and makes everyone’s life a little easier when we get a little closer to the day. The other option is that they sign the contract back stating “festival hospitality” in which the promoter gives you a generic, pre-determined, but limited assortment of snacks and drinks. This option is generally accompanied by 2-3 meals at catering as well.

2 – Artist Pays for the Rider

Although this sounds like balderdash, this is unknowingly, a very common situation. As I mentioned in the Roadie Dictionary , the rider falls under the catering and hospitality line on the budget and is often considered a show cost . Since many of the performance contracts are based on a guarantee (Flat Fee), with Overages (extra % if the show sells more tickets than what it pays for in expenses), as soon as you get into overages, the artist is paying for a large percentage of the cost of their own rider (commonly 85%).

When I’m creating the full tour rider, I put a section before hospitality that says “This is a template rider to be used for budgetary purposes only, please advance the latest version with the tour manager” I find this helpful since it gives the promoter side an idea of what we’re looking at, but I also don’t want all of this stuff to just show up in the dressing room on day of show.

If you’re the opening band, your hospitality amount comes from the headliners budget. More than just their needs, the whole show needs to be accommodated from the allotted amount. This is why your needs are less of a priority.

So we’ve allotted the appropriate amount of money to the right people, what now?

How is it Dealt With on the Road?

For many people, it just shows up out of nowhere. But there is quite the process of getting all of these items from the grocery store to dressing rooms.

Option 1 – Festival

This is usually an easy solution. Like I mentioned above, the list is often pre-determined. So when you’re advancing , you’re spending less time trying to barter for items, and more time dealing with substitutions based on sponsors (when Monster Energy Drink sponsors the festival, but you ask for 12 x RedBulls), or what time you want everything to show up.

The list will be pre-shopped by the runners or hospitality coordinator, likely the week before the festival while buying in bulk to save money.

Option 2 – Pre-Shop

Pre-Shop is when you’re doing a normal show and submit your list in advance. This way the runner or whoever it is that shops the hospitality can get a jump on the list anytime before the day of show. This is great for planning and frees up a ton of time for your runner if you have to send out laundry, do airport runs, etc.

If you can estimate what you’ll need each day, this is ideal. But if your full list is at the top end of the budgeted amount, you need to be creative and not waste all of your money on something that you’ll have leftover from the day before.

Sometimes the venues won’t allow outside booze and they need to order their alcohol from their licensed distributor. This usually needs to happen a couple of days before the show, so it has to be pre-shopped.

When I send a pre-shop list, it generally consists of everything that I know I’ll 100% need. If I’m starting to get a bit of a stockpile of beer, I’ll know that I can probably get away with half of the list. Although, If I have a border crossing coming up and I’m trying to get rid of bigger quantities, I’ll send the bigger list to the first show on the other side of the border and minimize variables at the crossing.

The key with pre-shopping is if you can have a mix with option 3 below. You send a list of what you know you’ll need for sure, then you can always utilize the runner throughout the show day to get your daily needs.

Option 3 – Send the Runner Day of Show

This is generally the most time consuming, but the most cost-effective way of handling hospitality. You can do a real-time evaluation of your supplies and send the runner out with the allotted cash for hospitality. Generally, the list is broken down into different stops. i.e. The runner will say, “There is a lot of stuff from Whole Foods on here, but these other items are cheaper to get at another grocery store. Do you want me to make 2 stops, or grab it all at one place?” That’s when you talk about traffic, distance to the stores, ETA of timelines, and your general runner expectations. This is also the opportunity to find the local gems for coffee, pizza, etc.

Now we’ve covered the foundation of the rider, let’s find out how to actually build one.

How to Build a Rider That Fits Your Camp

There doesn’t have to be a holy grail. As mentioned above, this can constantly be changing. If you’re gonna be able to fully utilize the budget without unnecessarily wasting a bunch of food, you need to manage your own expectations.

What Kind of Shows are We Playing?

You need to know what you’re trying to accomplish, how much is actually going to get used, and whatever doesn’t, how are you gonna transport it to the next city? Here are a few scenarios that will change the mindset of your planning:

• Are you headlining and need 2 extra cases of beer for your after-show guests?
• There is only so much storage on the bus, do you have a road case that fits in the truck or trailer that you can pack full of snacks? Is it gonna get too cold and burst all of your pop cans? Is it gonna get too hot and melt all of your chocolates?
• Are you the support band and only getting a small dinner buyout? Maybe you want to try and get some more groceries that you can take with you instead.
• Are you in a van and have no way to keep perishable items? Yea? Then maybe don’t ask for 10x fresh-pressed juices for your band and crew of 5 people.

How Many People do We Need to Accommodate?

This is probably the most common misunderstanding of what needs to be adjusted. On previous riders, you might have had a crew of 25 people. On this run, you might only have 10 total. Adjust your quantities accordingly. Don’t be those assholes with a 5 person touring party that asks for 100x tall cans.

Where is it Displayed?

You need to think about how long you need these snacks. Are you even gonna be there all day? Does this stuff keep well? Should I do resealable sandwich meat instead of a meat tray in an obnoxious platter? Base your quantities on these points as well.

Separate Into Different Delivery Times.

I like to separate the rider into different delivery times and locations to ensure everything shows up fresh and the temperature it’s required to be.

• Load in (Production Office) – If you’re not doing breakfast catering, maybe land some breakfast sandwiches, or basic bacon and egg platters for however many people you have. Include coffee, fruit, and water for this. You can’t have the crew getting hungry in the morning. They WILL turn on you.
• 12 PM (Band Dressing Room) – I generally land all snacks so that the team can start picking away at them. Just make sure there is a proper way to keep the perishable items fresh.
• 4 PM (Band Dressing Room) – All alcohol with fresh ice. Otherwise, your ice will melt, make a mess, and need continuous attention.
• 11 PM (Band Dressing Room or Bus) – Aftershow food. Whenever the show ends, everyone normally needs to eat. There’s nothing worse than going on a late-night mission.

These are the basic steps to keep in mind when trying to properly make a hospitality rider. That being said, a lot of time, energy, and money go into hospitality. Let’s collectively be a little more grateful for it all and the people that have to deal with it. There’s nothing worse than pulling off a miraculous save in a tough situation, just to have everyone complain about it.

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Tonight, We Eat Brown M&M’s in Eddie Van Halen’s Memory

Earlier today, the virtuosic and fanatical guitarist Eddie Van Halen died at age 65 after a long battle with cancer, news that has put the rock community into mourning until “Panama” can get back on the charts again. Reading some of the fond remembrances and tributes from Van Halen’s peers, though, Vulture thought it would be the perfect time to unearth this nugget of knowledge from Van Halen’s peak touring years in the ’80s: The band’s tour rider famously included a clause that outlined, in strict detail, how a bowl of M&M’s had to be provided in the backstage areas at every stop but contain “absolutely no brown ones.” (They demanded exactly 12 Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and 12 “assorted” Dannon yogurts, too.) Should any brown M&M’s be found in the bowl, concert promoters would forfeit the show and refund the band in full.

At the time, such a deliciously trivial request was shooed away as typical hair-band nonsense that fed into the band’s misdemeanor persona. (And, of course, as just an amazing piece of rock gossip.) However, the more nuanced reason was revealed by front man David Lee Roth in a 2012 interview with NPR : He and Eddie Van Halen had rationalized that, given the band’s technically complex and dangerous-adjacent performances , the M&M’s would serve as a litmus test for how diligent a concert promoter was. “If I came backstage, having been one of the architects of this lighting and staging design,” Roth explained, “and I saw brown M&M’s on the catering table, then I guarantee the promoter had not read the contract rider, and we would have to do a serious line check.” Roth likened the band’s tours to some of the “biggest productions ever,” and if something as simple as achieving M&M’s symmetry couldn’t be honored, it was a marker that the venue might be incapable of hosting the show. Such tasty ingenuity. RIP, Eddie.

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What Is a Tour Rider

Riders have been an essential item for touring musicians for decades, but it’s not something everyone knows about, at least not by name. Today, we’re going to go over what tour riders are, and why they’re important.  

A tour rider is a document given to whoever is booking the tour to make sure all the musicians’ requirements to perform are met. This can be anything from essentials that need to be provided, to equipment specifications, to even what sort of food needs to be in their room. Riders provide details of exactly what they want completed for each venue on a tour. Some examples included in a rider could be specific lighting setup, plug specifications, stage size, favorite catering available upon arrival, or dressing room size.  

While you can find common items amongst most riders, they also can vary by the type of event. A rider written up for a big-name artist, for instance, will be significantly longer than one for a smaller indie artist. A rider written up for an arena tour will have different specifications than one written for a festival. The rider usually includes a mix of hospitality and technical requirements.  

In more recent years, there has been a rise of inclusion riders. They’ve seen popularity particularly in the electronic music scene ( Source ). Inclusion riders ensure that inclusion of under-represented groups such as women, people of color, or LGBTQ+ people make up a percentage of the lineup or venue workers. This is to make sure that underrepresented groups are given a fair chance for positions within the live music space.  

While riders are a list of requests, bookers are allowed to deny requests or negotiate terms if they’re unreasonable or unattainable. However, most of the time, bookers will follow the riders to the letter if the requests are feasible to adhere to. A lot of times, the requests may seem unreasonable on paper, but sometimes they are put in there to avoid a problem that the tour has experienced in the past. For example, maybe the stage setup needs a section for an effect/dance as a part of the show, and it seemed big enough, but on the day of, the setup doesn’t meet the specifications, so now the rider includes specific dimensions so that effect can happen safely and properly. Maybe in the past, the band performed at venues that cut corners to keep costs down like limiting power input or providing cheap, terrible food to the performers. To prevent that from happening, a rider would include requests for a certain output range and specific food to be provided. 

While there are plenty of valid requests that can be included in a tour rider, sometimes, the requests are so detailed and specific, it can be a burden for the booking venue to complete the requests. Looking at some of the most insane requests to come from artists over the years, it’s not hard to understand why someone would want to read through every line of a rider that winds up in their inbox to make sure they can handle it. 

Some very specific requests given by popular artists over the years include... 

Elton John requesting his dressing room to be 60°F in the summer and 70°F in the winter.   

Axl Rose, lead singer of Guns N’ Roses has asked for oddly specific things such as a cubic melon, six lamps, and two bear shaped pots of honey.  

Dan "Soupy" Campbell, lead singer for the pop punk band The Wonder Years stated in a video interview with Rock Sound that the band asked for, “a Hi-C Ecto Cooler on their rider as a joke, but once they got to an unnamed college in the UK, a woman on the staff apologized to the members of the band for not being able to locate the drink, due to it being discontinued, and so found the list of ingredients, compared them to modern juice drinks and found a near equivalent, before the band revealed to her that it was indeed a joke.” ( Source )  

The most well-known tour rider that most are familiar with if it’s brought up is the one by Van Halen where they asked for M&Ms but to take out the brown ones. This seems to be the go-to example when the discussion of requests from artists comes up. Funnily enough, the band didn’t really do it to be difficult. They just wanted to see if venues they were going to were actually reading their riders in full. The M&Ms were a sign that they were professional and could be trusted.   

That’s ultimately what many riders boil down to. A professional agreement where both parties need to hold up their end of the deal. Riders are a way to ensure that artists and their crew are protected and treated well on tour and that venues aren’t just profiting off of them without treating them with respect along the way.  

There are a handful of crazy details found in tour riders to go over. If you’d like to see another blog discussing more requests written into riders by performers, let us know in the comments.

Thanks for reading!

Written by Kristen Petronio

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2024 Giro d’Italia Riders to Watch

From an overwhelming favorite to two young Americans, here are 13 riders to watch at this year’s Giro d’Italia.

This year’s race has an interesting start list. It’s headlined by one overwhelming favorite, several riders hoping to join him on the podium, lots of sprinters, a couple of veteran stage hunters looking to pad their resumes, and two young Americans making their grand tour debuts.

Here’s a look at thirteen riders to watch at the 2024 Giro d’Italia.

Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates)

We’re not sure we’ve ever seen a more overwhelming grand tour favorite than Pogačar. The 25-year-old has never raced the Giro, but that won’t stop him from most likely winning it.

The two-time Tour de France champion has had a perfect season so far, mixing specific race targets with training camps so that he’s ready and fresh. So far the plan has worked like a charm: the Slovenian has raced just ten times this season, but has an incredible seven wins—including victories in Strade Bianche , the Volta Ciclista a Catalunya (where he won four of the race’s seven stages), and Liège-Bastogne-Liège—and he’s only finished lower than third twice .

With a strong team of proven grand tour domestiques, including several of his favorite Tour de France lieutenants, and a course that suits all of his strengths—including a very Pog-friendly Grande Partenza (what Italians call the Giro’s opening weekend)—the only question we have is: How soon will he put the race out of reach?

Geraint Thomas (INEOS Grenadiers)

Thomas was one day away from winning last year’s Giro d’Italia, an impressive feat for a 36-year-old who’s still a grand tour contender despite racing against guys more than a decade younger than he is. But despite last year’s defeat, he’s returning this year to try and finally win a race that’s been eluding him since most of his biggest rivals were juniors.

Defeating Pogačar will be tough, but the course—especially its two time trials—plays to Thomas’ strengths, and he has a deep and talented team supporting him. Our gut says that second overall is the best he can hope for, but if there’s one thing we’ve learned this season it’s that bad luck can strike anyone at any time. Should something happen to Pog (we’re not wishing for that to happen), the soon-to-be 38-year-old will immediately become the race favorite.

And in case you’re wondering, if he wins, he’ll be the second-oldest grand tour champion in cycling history.

Cian Uijtdebroeks (Visma-Lease a Bike)

This young Belgian made (hard-to-pronounce) headlines last December when it was prematurely announced that he was breaking his contract with BORA-hansgrohe (who had recently signed Primoz Roglič away from Jumbo-Visma) to join the Dutch superteam (now called Visma-Lease a Bike).

Uijtdebroeks, who just turned 21, was the winner of the Tour de l‘Avenir in 2022 and is widely considered to be a future grand tour contender. And without Belgium’s Wout van Aert , who’s skipping the Giro due to injuries he sustained in a crash at a race in Belgium a few weeks ago, Uijtdebroeks becomes the focus of the team’s Giro GC plans. A podium finish and the white jersey as the Giro’s Best Young Rider are well within his reach. Securing both would rub some salt in the wounds created by his not-so-smooth transfer.

Ben O’Connor (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale),

The Australian has had a rough time since finishing fourth overall and winning a stage at the 2021 Tour de France —mainly due to crashes. So now he’s heading back to the Giro, where he cut his teeth as a grand tour rider and even won a mountain stage in 2020.

His 2024 season has been great so far: he won his first race of the year, then finished second at the UAE Tour, fifth at Tirreno-Adriatico, and second at the recent Tour of the Alps, an important pre-Giro stage race. A podium finish and stage victory are well within reach for the 28-year-old, results that would rebuild his confidence and rejuvenate his career.

Romain Bardet (Team dsm-firmenich PostNL)

A former Tour de France podium finisher, Bardet has enjoyed a bit of a renaissance since leaving his former French team for the Dutch Team dsm-firmenich PostNL squad. This move gave him his first chance to race the Giro in 2021 where he finished seventh.

After finishing second in Liège-Bastogne-Liège in April, the 33-year-old is in form and motivated. We wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up challenging for a spot on the final podium, but we suspect he’ll be more of a stage hunter. The Giro is the only grand tour in which he hasn’t won a stage, and he would certainly love to complete a hat trick of grand tour stage victories before retiring.

Julian Alaphilippe (Soudal-Quick Step)

Alaphilippe was once one of the three or four most exciting riders in the sport—a swashbuckling opportunist who was always a threat in one-day Monuments and grand tour stages. But a crash at Liège-Bastogne-Liège in 2022 left him with a broken shoulder, two broken ribs, and a collapsed lung. He hasn’t been the same since.

After another tough spring, the 31-year-old is now riding his first Giro in the hopes of getting back to his winning ways (he hasn’t won anything since last June). And time is of the essence: the Frenchman’s contract with Soudal-Quick Step is up at the end of the season , and he’s rumored to be negotiating with a couple of French squads (with Quick Step still open to the possibility of keeping him). A stage win or two would help drive up the asking price for a guy who was once one of the most sought-after riders in the world.

Michael Woods (Israel-PremierTech)

The Canadian finally got his first Tour de France stage victory last year when he won the first stage to finish atop the Puy de Dôme in 35 years. Now he’s heading to the Giro in the hopes of scoring a complete set of grand tour stage wins. His team is filled with stage hunters and opportunists, so he’ll certainly have several chances to play his hand. The 37-year-old former world-class distance runner will likely be targeting some of the Giro’s longer mountain stages and, therefore, won’t be worried about losing time during the first week (and in the time trials) so that the GC contenders leave him alone to chase stages in the second and third week.

Nairo Quintana (Movistar)

Quintana won the Giro in 2014, a year after bursting onto the scene with a podium finish at the 2013 Tour de France . But the 34-year-old hasn’t raced since finishing sixth overall in the 2022 Tour and then having his results disqualified after testing positive for tramadol, a painkiller that’s banned by the UCI (but not banned by WADA). He’s now back in the WorldTour with Movistar, the team with whom he recorded best results. But his return has not been a popular one , and it will be interesting to see how he’s treated by riders and fans. He says he’s racing for stage wins (not the General Classification) and would justify Movistar’s risky investment if he gets one.

Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek)

Milan was one of the biggest surprises of last year’s Giro. Racing for Bahrain-Victorious, the Italian won a stage and the ciclamino jersey as the winner of the Giro’s Points Classification. He then signed with Lidl-Trek, where one would assume he’s getting more money and more opportunities to ride for himself. Now he’s heading back to his home grand tour and hoping to build on last year’s success—albeit against much tougher competition. Multiple stage wins and another ciclamino jersey are good goals for the 23-year-old, and he has a team filled with fast finishers to help him.

Fabio Jakobsen (Team dsm-firmenich PostNL)

Jakobsen transferred to DSM this past off-season after several years with Soudal-Quick Step, where he blossomed from an up-and-comer into a proven grand tour field sprinter (despite a horrible crash in the 2020 Tour of Poland that put him in a medically-induced coma).

But in 2024 Quick-Step is all-in on Remco Evenepoel’s GC chances at the Tour de France , and there wasn’t room on the Tour squad for both a sprinter and a GC contender, so Jakobsen left. So far, the 27-year-old has won just one race this year, but a couple of victories at the Giro would certainly make his new team happy and cement his place on their roster for the Tour.

Caleb Ewan (Jayco AlUla)

Ewan started his career with Orica-GreenEdge, winning stages in all three grand tours before accepting a lucrative offer from Lotto-Soudal (now Lotto-Dstny) prior to the 2019 season. But after a bitter divorce ended the Australian’s five-year tenure with the Belgian team, he’s now back home, with Jayco AlUla, the current iteration of the Orica program with which he cut his teeth. His season hasn’t been the greatest so far—he’s won just two races. But assuming he’s recovered from the health issues that ruined his spring, he’s primed to get back on track with a stage win or two.

Magnus Sheffield (INEOS Grenadiers) and Luke Lamperti (Soudal-Quick Step)

This year’s Giro will mark the grand tour debut for Sheffield and Lamperti, two young Americans who have turned lots of heads so far in their careers. Despite being just 22 years old, Sheffield is a third-year pro who’s already won some important races. Now, he gets a shot at his first grand tour, where he’ll be a contender in the Giro’s two individual time trials.

Lamperti is a rookie at Soudal-Quick Step, and while he hasn’t won his first race–yet–he’s proven himself to be a fast finisher and a valuable teammate. At the Giro, his first goal will be helping Belgium’s Tim Merlier win a few stages, but we won’t be surprised to see the 21-year-old win one of the race’s trickier uphill sprint finishes.

.css-1t6om3g:before{width:1.75rem;height:1.75rem;margin:0 0.625rem -0.125rem 0;content:'';display:inline-block;-webkit-background-size:1.25rem;background-size:1.25rem;background-color:#F8D811;color:#000;background-repeat:no-repeat;-webkit-background-position:center;background-position:center;}.loaded .css-1t6om3g:before{background-image:url(/_assets/design-tokens/bicycling/static/images/chevron-design-element.c42d609.svg);} 2024 Giro d'Italia

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Furious riders rip mta threat to make five boro bike tour pay for lost bridge tolls: ‘they’re out of their mind’.

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Furious Five Boro Bike Tour cyclists ripped the MTA on Sunday over its reported threat to charge the event for lost tolls from the Verrazzano Bridge.

“Between [a potential toll bill] and congestion pricing, I think they’re out of their mind,” Bob Sweeney, a 65-year-old retired firefighter from Queens, seethed of transit officials.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority last month infamously proposed charging the New York City Marathon hundreds of thousands of dollars for tolls lost to the bridge’s shutdown during the famed running race, creating such widespread outcry that Gov. Kathy Hochul ordered the agency to hit the brakes.

But bike-tour organizers — who were likewise reportedly threatened with a whopping bridge toll bill — say they never got the same promise of a future reprieve.

While this year, the bike tour was expected to shell out what it did last year to the MTA, neither the transit agency nor Hochul’s office would say Sunday whether Five Boro would be subject to a devastating massive toll bill in the future.

“That’s ridiculous,” Sweeney said of the situation. “This is a great event, a lot of people that live in the city take part. … They should probably lower the price to get more people to take part.”

Other riders said they fear a potential toll charge — which might boost the bike tour’s $139 entrance fee — could effectively kill participation in the ride, which draws around 32,000 people annually.

“That’s not cool,” said Glenna Hamilton, a 54-year-old office manager from Queens.

“I don’t think a lot of people would ride — it would deter me from riding,” she said of a cost increase. “Why pay so much for an event? You can just go to the park.”

Kenneth Podziba, the CEO of ride-organizer Bike New York, told The Post that he’s been fearful the MTA would hit the organization with a massive tab over the lost bridge tolls, estimated for the marathon to have been around $750,000.

“We’re a great event, we’re a charity, we do great things with our money,” Podziba said, adding he doesn’t believe the MTA actually loses cash because of the tour.

“They haven’t been able to provide us with any kind of proof of lost revenue,” he said.

“When the governor told the MTA to fix this mess, she was only referring to the marathon — she was silent about the Five Boro Bike Tour, as if we don’t exist,” Podziba said. “I wish the governor would come out and make a statement to fix this mess, as it refers to the bike tour as well.”

The governor’s office Sunday directed Post questions to the MTA — which did not provide any updates as to its plans, including about whether it will try to charge the tour for lost tolls in the coming years.

The MTA already has its hands full with another major controversy: congestion pricing, or the move to toll drivers in the heart of Manhattan an extra $15 toll starting next month.

“Bike New York will be reimbursing the MTA for overtime and certain other expenses at the same rate that it did in 2023, and we’ve collaborated with event organizers to reduce those expenses as much as possible,” spokesman Aaron Donovan only said in a statement, referring to Sunday’s event.

“We look forward to a successful event this weekend,” he added.

Bike New York paid roughly $90,000 to use the Verrazzano last year. That included overtime and other costs involved in shutting down the bridge’s lower deck.

The tour — which snakes 40 miles through the city — begins in Lower Manhattan and ends on Staten Island.

Riders told The Post that hitting all five boroughs — including by cycling across the city bridge — are part of what makes the event worth it.

They said that if the tour had to cut the Verrazzano out — or the cost went too high — they probably wouldn’t return.

“The [40] miles of open streets through all five boroughs, no cars, is what I came down here for,” said Abby Lore, a 29-year-old teacher from Washington, DC.

“If it was not as open and accessible, I probably wouldn’t do it,” she added. “The Verrazzano is a key part of this. I felt like it rounded out the whole route.”

Therese Holm, a healthcare worker from Manhattan who did the ride with her fiancée, said she’d think twice about registering if the price inflated, even though she loves riding down the FDR Drive in Manhattan.

“It gets to a point that I’m not going to pay that kind of money,” she said.

Jay Durdan, a 65-year-old retiree from Dash Point, Wash., said he was floored when he heard the city wanted to hike the rates.

“I don’t like it at all,” he said. “New York has its reputation, but when you have these diamond events, it’s one heck of a way to bring people out from around the world and around the United States.

“It’s good for the local economy. Figure out how to raise something in the budget [rather] than raise the rate for an event like this.”

Podziba said he’s hoping the tour next year doesn’t have to chop off its tail end, which would keep riders from heading over the Verrazzano into Staten Island, because of a lost-toll cost.

“We’d have to call it a Four Boro Bike Tour, and it wouldn’t be as interesting,” the organizer said.

“They’re trying to take the fun of this great, iconic New York City event. You can only ride on the Verrazzano one day out of the year, and that’s the first Sunday of May for the TD Five Borough Bike Tour, and that’s amazing.

“It would be too bad if we had to make it four boroughs.”

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Rolling Stones kick off 48th tour with ‘Hackney Diamonds’ cuts and classics in Houston

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The Rolling Stones opened their Stones Tour ’24 Hackney Diamonds on Sunday to a sold-out crowd of more than 70,000 fans at NRG Stadium in Houston.

The Stones played just three new tracks from the album, choosing to focus instead on classic hits including “Start Me Up,” “Gimme Shelter,” “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” and “Satisfaction,” according to a press release. The decision to focus on older material was not unsurprising for a group with more than six decades of songs to choose from.

It was the rockers’ first performance of material from their 2023 effort “Hackney Diamonds” since the album’s surprise release at the 600-seat club Racket in New York last October. (Fans and celebrities packed that tiny venue expecting merely a Stones show and instead were treated to a breadth of new songs — and a Lady Gaga cameo.)

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As the tour rolls on, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood and company plan to make stadium stops in Glendale, Ariz.; Las Vegas; Seattle; East Rutherford, N.J.; Foxboro, Mass.; Orlando; Atlanta; Philadelphia; Cleveland; Denver; Chicago; Vancouver; Inglewood; and Santa Clara.

When the Stones hit SoFi Stadium this summer, they’ll be accompanied by the War and Treaty on July 10 and the Linda Lindas on July 13.

“Hackney Diamonds” is the rockers’ first studio album of original material in nearly two decades, following 2005’s “A Bigger Bang.” It’s also the Stones’ first LP since the death of founding drummer Charlie Watts in 2021. It’s the first time the band has been on the road since its 60th anniversary tour in 2022, and the tour will also feature a stop at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival on May 2.

“Charlie was one of the funniest guys I’ve ever known,” Richards told Times music critic Mikael Wood in 2021, “and the most unlikely man to be famous. He hated that side of the job and used to savagely take the piss out of it.”

‘You haven’t heard the last of Charlie’: Rolling Stones on a bittersweet tour and new music

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When “Hackney Diamonds” game out, Wood wrote in his album review, “The songs blend the same ingredients the Stones have been using since the beginning — blues, rock, soul, country, gospel — but they’re tighter and punchier than on any of the band’s previous late-era LPs.”

Meanwhile, according to Rolling Stone , back at the Houston concert one fan said, “People say Joe Biden is too old to be president. They need to look at Mick!”

That said, the Rolling Stones’ 48th tour is sponsored by AARP.

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Moscow Metro 2019

Will it be easy to find my way in the Moscow Metro? It is a question many visitors ask themselves before hitting the streets of the Russian capital. As metro is the main means of transport in Moscow – fast, reliable and safe – having some skills in using it will help make your visit more successful and smooth. On top of this, it is the most beautiful metro in the world !

. There are over 220 stations and 15 lines in the Moscow Metro. It is open from 6 am to 1 am. Trains come very frequently: during the rush hour you won't wait for more than 90 seconds! Distances between stations are quite long – 1,5 to 2 or even 3 kilometers. Metro runs inside the city borders only. To get to the airport you will need to take an onground train - Aeroexpress.

RATES AND TICKETS

Paper ticket A fee is fixed and does not depend on how far you go. There are tickets for a number of trips: 1, 2 or 60 trips; or for a number of days: 1, 3 days or a month. Your trips are recorded on a paper ticket. Ifyou buy a ticket for several trips you can share it with your traveling partner passing it from one to the other at the turnstile.

On every station there is cashier and machines (you can switch it to English). Cards and cash are accepted. 1 trip - 55 RUB 2 trips - 110 RUB

Tickets for 60 trips and day passes are available only at the cashier's.

60 rides - 1900 RUB

1 day - 230 RUB 3 days - 438 RUB 30 days - 2170 RUB.

The cheapest way to travel is buying Troyka card . It is a plastic card you can top up for any amount at the machine or at the ticket office. With it every trip costs 38 RUB in the metro and 21 RUB in a bus. You can get the card in any ticket office. Be prepared to leave a deposit of 50 RUB. You can get it back returning the card to the cashier.

SamsungPay, ApplePay and PayPass cards.

One turnstile at every station accept PayPass and payments with phones. It has a sticker with the logos and located next to the security's cabin.

GETTING ORIENTED

At the platfrom you will see one of these signs.

It indicates the line you are at now (line 6), shows the direction train run and the final stations. Numbers below there are of those lines you can change from this line.

In trains, stations are announced in Russian and English. In newer trains there are also visual indication of there you are on the line.

To change lines look for these signs. This one shows the way to line 2.

There are also signs on the platfrom. They will help you to havigate yourself. (To the lines 3 and 5 in this case). 

Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher announces 'Definitely Maybe' album tour

Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher is going on tour to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the British rock band's 1994 debut album, "Definitely Maybe," the lead vocalist announced in a statement released on Instagram Monday.

"I'm bouncing around the house to announce the Definitely Maybe tour," read the statement. "The most important album of the '90s bar none. I wouldn't be anywhere without it and neither would you, so let's celebrate together."

The monthlong tour around the United Kingdom kicks off in Sheffield, England, in June 2024.

The tour will include performances of the tracks "Whatever," "Fade Away," "Listen Up," and "Sad Song." Gallagher made no mention of performing "Wonderwall," the group's biggest hit, which appeared on the band's second studio album, "(What's the Story) Morning Glory?" released in 1995.

USA TODAY has reached out to the band's representatives for comment.

Oasis unexpectedly disbanded in 2009, when Gallagher's brother, Noel Gallagher , chief songwriter and lead guitarist, left the group. Noel Gallagher went on to form his own group, Gallagher's High Flying Birds, while the remaining members of Oasis briefly continued as Beady Eye.

Until now, the band has denied ever reuniting .

The reunion could include Noel Gallagher and co-founding band member, guitarist Paul Arthurs. Arthurs, stage name Bonehead, began touring with Liam Gallagher again earlier this year after a battle with tonsil cancer.

However, on Live Nation, where tickets for the tour go on sale Friday, Liam Gallagher is listed as the performer, not Oasis.

It is unclear whether other previous band members, including Paul McGuigan, Tony McCarroll, Alan White, Gem Archer, Andy Bell and, most recently, Zak Starkey and Chris Sharrock, would return.

The Darkness wants you to put down your phones and pay attention to concerts

This summer, Noel Gallagher was asked at a live Q&A who would be on a hypothetical reunion tour.

"So me, Liam. Well, it's a funny thing because we're all at a certain age now," he said. "Hair was a thing in Oasis, so we'll have to see what everybody's hair is looking like. I'm in no matter what."

How to get Oasis tour tickets

Fans who find themselves in the United Kingdom next year can get tickets for the "Definitely Maybe" anniversary tour at 4 a.m. ET Friday.

Tickets are available on Live Nation at livenation.co.uk , which lists Liam Gallagher as the performer, across 12 dates in Sheffield, England; Cardiff, Wales; London; Manchester, England; and Glasgow, Scotland. Tickets for the Dublin dates are available at Ticketmaster at ticketmaster.ie .

Joey Fatone surprised by success of NSYNC reunion song 'Better Place': 'It just all worked'

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Rock band All Time Low cancel show halfway through concert, no refund for fans

SINGAPORE – Attendees of a concert held on May 5 are demanding refunds from organiser LAMC Productions after American rock band All Time Low cancelled the show midway into their performance.

The four-man band held their concert – their first performance here in seven years – at Fort Canning Park. However, their show lasted less than an hour, according to attendees who spoke to The Straits Times.

The event began officially at about 3pm with a meet-and-greet session followed by merchandise sales from 4pm. Local band Iman’s League performed an opening set at 6.45pm, with All Time Low’s performance slated to begin at around 8pm.

About four songs into their performance, which began at about 8.15pm, All Time Low’s guitarist Jack Barakat told the crowd that lead singer Alex Gaskarth had to rush to the restroom as he was suffering from a bout of food poisoning, and that he was already feeling unwell during the meet-and-greet session. 

They continued playing without Gaskarth, who then reappeared for a few more songs before he had to use the restroom for a second time, with the rest of the band again performing without him.

Following this, the band said they had to check on Gaskarth because he had been gone for some time. Barakat then told the crowd they needed to end the show to allow Gaskarth to seek medical attention, as he was unable to stand.

Gaskarth, 36, provided an update of his condition on Instagram Stories on May 6.

“As I mentioned on stage, I was fighting through a pretty bad illness and unfortunately it got the better of me mid-show,” he wrote. “As a performer, it’s genuinely heartbreaking when your body gives out in a way that affects a gig like that.”

Sharing a photo of himself on an intravenous drip, he added: “I’ve been fortunate to get quick medical treatment and hopefully have the worst of it behind me now.”

Less than half of their expected set list had been performed when the final song was sung at 9pm.

Concertgoers say there was no formal announcement of the cancellation by LAMC Productions at the event, or on any of its social media platforms.

Attendee Max Lim, 19, said the crowd was not made aware of Gaskarth’s condition prior to Barakat’s announcement during the show.

Although he was disappointed, he felt that the band were not to blame, suggesting that the organisers could have rescheduled the performance instead of making the band “push out a performance”.

“I definitely hope there will be some form of compensation, the best case being a rescheduled (concert) for the cancelled tour date,” said Mr Lim, adding that he has contacted LAMC Productions about the matter.

Standard tickets for the concert were priced at $158, with several add-ons available, including $285 for a meet-and-greet session with All Time Low.

LAMC Productions’ Instagram posts featuring the concert were flooded with disgruntled fans who asked for refunds or a rescheduled performance, with some criticising the lack of any announcements addressing the concert’s cancellation.

In a statement posted on Instagram on May 6, LAMC apologised for the delay in addressing the cancellation and clarified that the band had made the decision to continue performing despite Gaskarth’s condition.

“We are working closely with All Time Low to bring them back to Singapore again as soon as possible,” said the concert organiser.

It said it would not be refunding attendees, instead offering each ticket holder a $30 promo code that will be usable on any LAMC Productions show over the next year.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by LAMC Productions (@lamcproductions)

Commenters on the post expressed frustration at the move – some felt that the amount was unsatisfactory, while others disagreed with the decision to issue a voucher instead of a refund.

“$30 for another ticket which we all would have to spend further money on makes zero sense,” said Instagram user chodiejomie, who felt that the move was “straight up disappointing, unprofessional and unethical”.

All Time Low last performed in Singapore in 2017, with their fans telling ST that they had waited seven years for the band to return for a concert here.

“I understand why people would want a refund, but more than anything, I hope that they will come back and do another show, I’ve waited so long to see them live,” said attendee Adele Chew, 24.

The band’s Asia tour took them through Malaysia and Indonesia at the end of April, and the Philippines on May 3 before their stop in Singapore. They are slated to perform in three locations across Japan next: Tokyo on May 7, Nagoya on May 8 and Osaka on May 9.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by All Time Low (@alltimelow)

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Moscow Metro – Spirit of a City EP | Review

Article Published: April 3, 2014

That populist revival hasn’t really let up since – just look at White Lies, Airbourne Toxic Event, and too many other bands to name here – and, with the release of their debut EP, ‘Spirit of a City’, Limerick band Moscow Metro are the latest to join the cause. Here, they’ve offered up four tracks in that dark and brooding vein, which, although solid and polished in their own right, sound perhaps too close to the myriad of others that have gone before them to leave any real lasting mark.

What the four-piece has produced is an exploration of the kind of themes perfect for moody posturing (death, break-ups, social ennui), underpinned by an expansive and echo-laden soundscape. Drums pound and crash behind speedy, driving guitars and synths, building towards almost-anthemic hooks. Seán Corcoran’s vocals, meanwhile, take on rich, sober tones uncannily close to Matt Berninger of The National, which often counteract the insistence of the music behind them.

It’s a well-constructed, well-produced and confident record, but the problem is that there’s not enough distinction between the tracks to make any particular one stand out, and they sound so close to their influences that it actually gets distracting. Opener Spirit of a City ? It may as well be that Editors track being belted out on a dancefloor back in the day. Future Fades and Where It All Ends ? They could be old lost demo tapes from The National. If you toned the synth down, you could probably even throw the remaining track, Headlights , into that latter category as well.

Is it a bad thing to know what you like and be influenced by that? No. Is it a bad thing to know what you like so well that it becomes less of an influence and more of an identity? Probably. It’s a pity that Moscow Metro haven’t pushed outside the post-rock revivalist boundaries with this EP. There’s clearly a lot of talent and energy there; it would be good to see that used to make something other than the well-worn sound of ten years ago.

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Moscow Metro Tour

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Description

Moscow metro private tours.

• 2-hour tour $87:  10 Must-See Moscow Metro stations with hotel pick-up and drop-off
• 3-hour tour $137:  20 Must-See Moscow Metro stations with Russian lunch in beautifully-decorated Metro Diner + hotel pick-up and drop off. 
• Metro pass is included in the price of both tours.

Highlight of Metro Tour

• Visit 10 must-see stations of Moscow metro on 2-hr tour and 20 Metro stations on 3-hr tour, including grand Komsomolskaya station with its distinctive Baroque décor, aristocratic Mayakovskaya station with Soviet mosaics, legendary Revolution Square station with 72 bronze sculptures and more!
• Explore Museum of Moscow Metro and learn a ton of technical and historical facts;
• Listen to the secrets about the Metro-2, a secret line supposedly used by the government and KGB;
• Experience a selection of most striking features of Moscow Metro hidden from most tourists and even locals;
• Discover the underground treasure of Russian Soviet past – from mosaics to bronzes, paintings, marble arches, stained glass and even paleontological elements;
• Learn fun stories and myths about Coffee Ring, Zodiac signs of Moscow Metro and more;
• Admire Soviet-era architecture of pre- and post- World War II perious;
• Enjoy panoramic views of Sparrow Hills from Luzhniki Metro Bridge – MetroMost, the only station of Moscow Metro located over water and the highest station above ground level;
• If lucky, catch a unique «Aquarelle Train» – a wheeled picture gallery, brightly painted with images of peony, chrysanthemums, daisies, sunflowers and each car unit is unique;
• Become an expert at navigating the legendary Moscow Metro system;
• Have fun time with a very friendly local;
• + Atmospheric Metro lunch in Moscow’s the only Metro Diner (included in a 3-hr tour)

Hotel Pick-up

Metro stations:.

Komsomolskaya

Novoslobodskaya

Prospekt Mira

Belorusskaya

Mayakovskaya

Novokuznetskaya

Revolution Square

Sparrow Hills

+ for 3-hour tour

Victory Park

Slavic Boulevard

Vystavochnaya

Dostoevskaya

Elektrozavodskaya

Partizanskaya

Museum of Moscow Metro

• Drop-off  at your hotel, Novodevichy Convent, Sparrow Hills or any place you wish
• + Russian lunch  in Metro Diner with artistic metro-style interior for 3-hour tour

Fun facts from our Moscow Metro Tours:

From the very first days of its existence, the Moscow Metro was the object of civil defense, used as a bomb shelter, and designed as a defense for a possible attack on the Soviet Union.

At a depth of 50 to 120 meters lies the second, the coded system of Metro-2 of Moscow subway, which is equipped with everything you need, from food storage to the nuclear button.

According to some sources, the total length of Metro-2 reaches over 150 kilometers.

The Museum was opened on Sportivnaya metro station on November 6, 1967. It features the most interesting models of trains and stations.

Coffee Ring

The first scheme of Moscow Metro looked like a bunch of separate lines. Listen to a myth about Joseph Stalin and the main brown line of Moscow Metro.

Zodiac Metro

According to some astrologers, each of the 12 stops of the Moscow Ring Line corresponds to a particular sign of the zodiac and divides the city into astrological sector.

Astrologers believe that being in a particular zadiac sector of Moscow for a long time, you attract certain energy and events into your life.

Paleontological finds 

Red marble walls of some of the Metro stations hide in themselves petrified inhabitants of ancient seas. Try and find some!

• Every day each car in  Moscow metro passes  more than 600 km, which is the distance from Moscow to St. Petersburg.
• Moscow subway system is the  5th in the intensity  of use (after the subways of Beijing, Tokyo, Seoul and Shanghai).
• The interval in the movement of trains in rush hour is  90 seconds .

What you get:

• + A friend in Moscow.
• + Private & customized Moscow tour.
• + An exciting pastime, not just boring history lessons.
• + An authentic experience of local life.
• + Flexibility during the walking tour: changes can be made at any time to suit individual preferences.
• + Amazing deals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the very best cafes & restaurants. Discounts on weekdays (Mon-Fri).
• + A photo session amongst spectacular Moscow scenery that can be treasured for a lifetime.
• + Good value for souvenirs, taxis, and hotels.
• + Expert advice on what to do, where to go, and how to make the most of your time in Moscow.

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