The booker asks: "Are you coming with your own production?" And you think: what exactly do you mean — do we bring the PA, is there already a system in place, or do we just plug in? Four words in a quote can make a difference of a few thousand euros and half a day of hauling gear. In this article we compare the four common setups: what each one means, what to watch out for, and what belongs in your technical rider for each.
The four setups at a glance
| Backline only | Plugging in | Own console on the house PA | Full production | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PA speakers | Venue | Festival/venue | Venue | Band |
| FOH mix | Venue | Festival engineer | Band | Band |
| Monitoring | Venue | Shared or own IEM | Band | Band |
| Backline | Band | Band | Band | Band |
| Lights & stage | Venue | Festival | Venue | Band |
| Soundcheck | Yes, your own | Line check only | Yes, on the house PA | Yes, full |
| Typical gig | Club, venue | Festival | Theatre tour, fixed show | Wedding, corporate event |
The difference always comes down to one question: who provides what, and who operates it? Walk through the setups and you'll see they form a sliding scale — from "we only bring our instruments" to "the venue just needs power and a floor".
1. Backline only: you bring the instruments, the venue does the rest
On a backline-only deal the band brings just the backline: instruments, amps, drums. The venue or promoter provides the PA, the monitoring, the lights and the engineer who runs it all.
What to watch out for:
- "There's a drum kit" tells you nothing. Without a spec you don't know whether cymbals, a snare or even a hi-hat stand are included. The iron rule: ask exactly what's there, and put exactly what you expect in your rider — including brand preferences and acceptable alternatives, so the venue knows where there's room to flex.
- Cables and stands are no man's land. Agree on who supplies XLR cables, DI boxes and mic stands. This is the category where something is most often missing on the day.
- Ask for a separate power circuit for the backline. Amps on the same circuit as the lighting dimmers is asking for hum.
- Your sound is in someone else's hands. The house engineer mixes your show. A clear channel list and per-position monitor wishes aren't a luxury — they're your only steering wheel.
2. Plugging in: joining a running system
Plugging in (also: festival patch) means a complete system is already up and running, shared by several acts in a row: PA, monitors, lights and crew. You plug your instruments and DIs into the existing system, do a short line check — not a full soundcheck — and play.
What to watch out for:
- The changeover is sacred. Fifteen to twenty minutes is normal. Everything you can sort out in advance (accurate patch list, stagebox numbering, wireless frequencies submitted) pays for itself twice over.
- Monitor wishes in advance, not on the spot. The monitor engineer doesn't know you. Mix numbers, wedge or IEM per position, and who needs their own mix: put it on paper.
- Make your own IEM connection explicit. If you bring your own IEM rack that needs to hook into the festival system digitally (via AES50 or Dante, for example), describe exactly which connection, which cable and who supplies it. This is where plug-in shows break down most often.
- Mark your channel list as "for reference". The festival engineer runs the mix; your channel list is context, not a list of demands. If that distinction isn't clear, a promoter reads your rider as a claim that the venue has to supply all of it — and that costs you bookings.
3. Your own console on the house PA: keeping the mix in your hands
This is the setup that causes the most confusion, because it barely has a standard name. The band brings the backline, its own monitoring (IEM racks, monitor console) and its own FOH console with engineer — but the PA speakers, the lights and the stage belong to the venue. In pro audio the package you carry is called a control package.
Why do it? Because your sound lives or dies with the mix, and you want that in your own hands — while PA speakers and lights are perfectly fine coming from the venue. For touring bands with a fixed show this is often the sweet spot: a consistent mix, half the truck.
What to watch out for:
- The connection is the critical point. How does your console feed the house system? Analogue left/right plus subs, AES/EBU, or a network protocol? State in your rider which connection you expect, which cable you bring and what you need from the venue. One sentence saves an hour of puzzling.
- The system tech stays with the venue. The house PA is tuned for that room. You deliver a stereo mix; the system processing and tuning stay with the house tech. Agree that they'll be present.
- Claim your spot at FOH. Your own console needs space, power and a line from the stage to the FOH position. Ask about it — not every venue has a spare multicore or network line in place.
- Fix the line of responsibility. Rule of thumb: the band is responsible up to and including its console output, the venue from the system input onwards. When something hums, everyone knows where to look.
4. Full production: bringing everything yourself
The band supplies the complete production: PA, lights, monitoring, engineer. The organiser only needs to arrange power, space and a stage. Typical for weddings, corporate events and venues without in-house equipment — and the reason "production included" carries a higher price in quotes.
What to watch out for:
- Power is your biggest risk. Specify three-phase power (CEE 32A) or a number of separate circuits — and make clear it's an either/or, otherwise the organiser reads it as a sum and balks at the requirements.
- Budget realistic setup times. Building a full production easily takes two to three hours. Put load-in time, soundcheck and strike time in your rider, with a short explanation of those terms — a wedding venue doesn't know the difference between a soundcheck and a line check.
- Space requirements up front. Minimum stage dimensions, clearance height, and whether you need a drum riser. Nothing is worse than a production that doesn't fit.
- Volume and permits. Ask about sound limits and what's allowed after 11 pm — and agree who's the point of contact when the neighbours call.
Decision aid: which setup fits your gig?
- Is there already equipment at the venue? No → you supply everything: full production.
- Yes — do several acts share that system on the same day? Yes → plugging in.
- No — do you want to keep the mix in your own hands? Yes → your own console on the house PA. No → backline only.
If in doubt, pick the setup with the least duplicated equipment: gear that's there twice is money wasted, gear that's missing is a broken show.
What this means for your rider
Whichever setup it is: your rider has to show the difference. A rider that demands what the band already brings makes promoters nervous; a rider that doesn't mention what the venue must supply causes trouble on the day itself.
In Stageplot you handle it like this: mark sections as "band handles this — for reference" so your channel list and monitoring are in the rider without being read as demands, pick a scenario preset that matches the gig type, set power outlets per position and put your three-phase requirement in the export as an either/or. That way every organiser — from festival production to wedding venue — gets exactly the information that's relevant to them.