Hospitality decides whether a day on tour is workable. The venue buys it, the hospitality rider lists it, and it costs real money, so it gets negotiated like the fee.
What it covers
- A dressing room that locks, with a mirror, a bin and somewhere to sit.
- Drinks: water, coffee, beer, whatever the rider asks for.
- A hot meal for the whole party, or a buyout instead.
- Towels, and a shower where the venue has one.
- Parking, and hotel rooms where they are part of the deal.
Numbers matter
The rider says how many people. A venue that budgeted for four and fed eight will raise it at settlement. Send the exact party size when advancing the show, and update it the moment it changes.
The buyout
Where a venue cannot cook, it pays cash per person instead. In the Netherlands and Belgium €15 to €25 a head is common, and in the UK £15 to £20. Confirm which of the two applies before the day, because arriving hungry to a locked kitchen starts the evening badly.