Riders refer to the little extras a band receives from the promoter of a gig, usually—but not always—in their dressing room. One of the most infamous riders was Van Halen’s in 1982. They insisted on bowls of M&M candies with all the brown ones removed. Mary J. Blige asks for a brand new toilet seat in every venue where she performs. Read on and Rock on…
MY DREAM RIDER BY SOMETIME SONNY
Hey! It’s Dave here from Sometime Sonny. I am about to release my debut album ‘Thanks a Million’. I’m super sick of listening to love songs (seems like that’s all anyone writes about these days) so the vast majority of songs are about unusual experiences and personal topics. One of my favourite songs off the album is about my favourite bagel shop.
The best rider I have been offered is a fridge full of beers and that was excellent. I think that rider could only be topped by the following:
- Pump water: I rarely buy bottled water but when I do, I always cheap out and by the home-brand and just once I’d like to try that fancy pump water with that sweet push up lid!
- Speakers: Nice pump up music to get you in the zoneeeee
- Darrel Lea Liquorice Twists: I’d probably leave the gig with my pockets stuffed with the left overs
- Peeled oranges: what a performance enhancer those bad boys are
- Champagne: If I’m playing a gig where they have asked what I would like for a rider than I’ve made it… time to party
- Mario Kart on Nintendo 64: I’d be annoyed that I had to stop playing in order to go to the gig, so why not bring it along
- A good quality Yoyo: I went through a phase as a kid… I wonder if I still got the skillz
- A tv playing Seinfeld in the background… Seinfeld calms me down and I might be a little nervous before the show you know?
- Spare set of strings: I always get paranoid mine are going to break right before gig
- A fridge full of beers… of course
SOMETIME SONNY LAUNCH SHOW
Friday November 16th Black Bear Lodge Brisbane
Supporting Tia Gostelow