Backline is what the artist does not carry. Who supplies it, and to what spec, gets settled in writing before the show and never on the day.
What counts as backline
- Drum kit with sizes and hardware, though snare, cymbals and pedals are often the drummer's own
- Bass and guitar amplifiers, by make and model
- Keyboard and stand
- DJ gear: two or four players, a mixer, a booth monitor
Who pays
On a festival or a support slot the promoter supplies shared backline and it sits in the deal. On a headline club tour the artist usually carries its own and hires locally on fly dates. Hire in Europe starts around €150 a day for a small package and passes €1.000 for a full band setup with a technician.
Naming a spec
Write the make and model, then the alternative you can live with. Asking for 'any bass amp' gets you any bass amp. Say what you play, what you accept, and what you bring yourself.