Backline in the concert industry means simply: all the musical instruments and equipment needed to to play a show, except for the P.A., monitor, and lighting systems. This includes amplifiers, keyboards, drums, cymbals, stands, rack effects, cables, and sometimes guitars, basses, or orchestral instruments.

What you need depends on the kind of group you have, the style of music you play, the size of the hall, and the instrumentation. It might also depend on the budget of the promoter, or availability of certain equipment at a location.

When choosing your backline, make a list, to include the following:

• Guitar amplifiers
• Bass amplifiers
• Keyboards
• Keyboard amplifiers and/or sound mixers
• Drum kit and percussion
• Miscellaneous, such as amp stands, risers, guitar stands, cables, etc.

Image courtesy of Andy Bergsten

In addition to a list of all gear needed, the backline description should include specifications (i.e., specs) for all equipment. As a minimum, include the make and model, speaker size and power handling capacity for amplifiers, drum sizes, plus any other specific details for each piece of equipment.

All of your backline specs will ultimately go into the contract rider, which I’ll explain shortly.

You need this list to communicate to promoters, roadies, stage crews, your specific gear your group will need in order to play.

There are times where you might bring all your own gear, such as to a local small gig. Some clubs have their own backline installed permanently; you will want to check out the quality before you go.

For bigger shows, and when you travel to perform at some far-off destination, you will likely not be carrying all your gear with you.

It’s crucial that you communicate all your equipment needs in advance to the venue and backline rental company. They should have everything ready so you can just walk out on stage and play (usually after a brief soundcheck).

Start by asking each performer in your group to give you their equipment specifications as a list. For some, it might just be one item, such as a guitar amp. Write down the brand and model, plus any details that might be important, such as speaker type, power (expressed in watts), number of channels, years of manufacture, and so on.

Also include a second choice in case the requested model is not available. Some players might also have a “do not use” list, meaning the brands or models they would not find acceptable.

Here is an example, for an electric bassist:

Two Ampeg SVT (models from 1968-1976 only) tube bass head

Gallien Kruger 1001 RB or 400 RB solid state amplifier

SWR, Eden, Aguilar, GK 800 RB or any hybrid (tube preamp, solid state power amp)

8X10” cabinet, prefer Celestion or Eminence drivers, Two 4X10” cabs also fine, but they must be 8 Ohms each

AC power cable, ¼ inch or speakon cables, extra ¼ inch instrument cable

Rack mount tuner with outboard AC power power conditioner, parametric or graphic EQ (equalizer), and compressor (optional), plus connecting cables

(2) Needed

The drummer might have a longer list, with all drum sizes noted, cymbals, hardware (pedals and stands), preferred brand, drum heads, and the all-important drummer’s rug.

Once you have it all in writing, assemble it all into the backline rider for the contract and draw your stage plot (see below) showing where everything should be placed. The more musicians you have in your group, the longer the list will be.

Pro tip: take pictures of all your group’s gear on stage when you are set up for a gig, then you can refer to the pictures later if there are any discrepancies in the list of gear.

Be sure to take pictures from all angles, especially of the back, as this can show how the amplifiers are connected to speakers and power sources. You can also use these photos when creating your stage plot.

This video shows how a backline company transports, accounts for, services, photographs, and packs away a massive amount of gear for the world’s largest music festival, Summerfest:

The stage plot is a detailed drawing of the stage showing the placement of all the backline gear, plus microphone and monitor placement. (Monitors are necessary so that the performers can hear each other and themselves.)

Depending on the size of the stage, you might have a separate monitor for each musician, or in a smaller hall, just a frontline monitor for vocals and side fills (speakers placed on either side of the stage in the wings, pointing inwards) for the other musicians.

The stage plot should show the front of the stage at the bottom of the page, which should be in landscape orientation (lengthwise from right to left). This way, looking at the stage plot can give a facsimile of what the audience will see, though pictured from above.

Note that stage right will now be on the left side of the page and stage left will be on the right side. The back of the stage will be at the top.

You can draw your stage plot neatly by hand. You don’t need to be a visual or graphic artist to draw your plot, but try to do it as neatly as possible. Show the placement of every piece of gear, plus microphones, music stands, risers (if any), and where the performers will stand. Label everything you draw.

You could also show hanging curtains or scrims. You might consider using some CAD (Computer Assisted Design) software; there are free programs available online if you search for them.

Here is an example of what a stage plot could look like, from one of my recent concerts:

The above example is basic but functional. You can include more labels or indicate different monitor mixes for each individual. The instructions for monitors could also be included in the contract technical rider.

Make sure that the local crew and stage manager know your backline needs.

The contract rider is simply a list of all the backline gear required for the performance, attached to the contract itself. Your list should be as specific as possible, with brand, model, specifications, sizes, etc. for all items included.

The rider also includes the stage plot. It’s important to note on the contract that the rider is attached, and also the exact number of pages.

Backline contract riders can be any number of pages. Riders can cover other requirements about dressing rooms, catering, travel, and lodging, but these are not considered a part of the backline rider. A backline rider can be part of a more comprehensive technical rider.

It’s a good idea to speak directly with the venue or promoter in advance to review your rider.

You want to be sure they understand your needs, which rider items are non-negotiable, and if there’s anything not on the list that they might wonder about. They should also confirm verbally with you that they understand the backline needs.

The worst-case scenario is arriving at the venue and none of the equipment is there because the rider was completely ignored. Believe it or not, this does happen. I’ve seen firsthand where artists on a bill were unable to perform because the right equipment had not been ordered. It’s not a pleasant situation.

Potential conflicts about the rider can cause delays or cancellations, which could have serious consequences. The audience could become unruly, request immediate refunds for their tickets, or worse. Lawsuits sometimes follow.

Of course, nobody ever wants to find themselves in such an unfortunate situation. It happens more often than you might expect, and there’s always plenty of blame to go around.

Here is an example of what a contract rider could look like, from one of my recent concerts:

A touring production coordinator explains what a backline crew does, along with the audio and lighting crews, tech teams, and others on the tour production team:

If you are planning to use a backline rental service for a show, communicate directly with them about your needs if possible. It’s important to make sure that they have a clear understanding of your technical requirements, and for you to understand what they can and cannot offer.

Backline rental companies are a specialization in the music products and services industry with local, and regional, and sometimes international presence. Local concert promoters, bands, and venues will usually know which companies are reliable, so you can always ask them for referrals.

Image courtesy of Andy Bergsten

Another good place to find backline rental companies is in the Pollstar directory. (Pollstar.com is a publication and website that caters to the music and concerts industry.)

A top-notch backline company rents gear for everything from small gigs to large concerts and stadium acts. They also cater to party planners, event organizers, theme parks, entertainment companies, and schools and colleges. They maintain and service their equipment in-house.

If you are fascinated by and enthralled with music gear, you might enjoy working for a backline rental company. There is always a need for “gearheads” to roadie the gear, set it up, run it, and tear down afterwards.

Any job related to entertainment and music is bound to be fun and exciting. As a backline roadie you get to hang around backstage before, during, and after the concerts, which is an added perk.

To learn more, gather information from music publications, manufacturers’ websites, online blogs, and forums, and by hanging around music stores. Talk to other musicians you meet, musical instrument salespeople, and the regional manufacturer’s representatives who you can sometimes meet in the stores.

Attend some conferences on the music industry, such as NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants — held every January in Anaheim, California) or trade fair Musikmesse in Frankfurt, Germany, normally held in April.

Get to know all you can about music equipment. Research the backline companies in your area and reach out directly to see if they have openings. Getting in at entry-level is possible for anyone with a passion for music and music gear, and it’s a great way to build your network of contacts while learning about live music and the concert business.

MEI Backline and Orchestral Rental Solutions gives a quick tour of all their gear:

How to use a backline in a club:

Jamie Allen talks about how he became a backline technician on the road: