For most concertgoers, the magic of live music is all about the experience—bright lights, thumping subs, and the thrill of seeing their favorite artist perform. For fans of big concerts, this is especially true. But behind every seamless show is an army of production professionals working tirelessly to ensure everything runs smoothly. From artist procurement to when the band hits the stage, a massive logistical machine is at work, carefully orchestrating every detail.

As a former Technical Director, I’ve spent years ensuring that performances meet and exceed expectations. Working in arts presentation means seeing the entire production process unfold—from contract negotiations and hospitality logistics to staging, lighting, and audio support. The following article takes you behind the curtain to explore what’s happening backstage.

Artist Procurement

Every major concert starts with one key decision: securing the artist. Venue operators and promoters constantly scout talent, determining which acts will draw a crowd and fit within their budget.

Many artists are booked through talent agencies that handle their touring schedules, availability, and performance fees. Some acts have long-standing relationships with venues, while others are making their first appearance in a particular city. Booking negotiations consider multiple factors, including venue size, ticket pricing, and exclusivity clauses.

One example of a critical agreement function is the radius clause. This contractual stipulation prevents an artist from performing within a set distance of the venue for a certain period before or after their scheduled show. This ensures ticket sales remain strong and the market isn’t oversaturated.

Beyond artist fees, the promoter must also budget for travel costs, crew accommodations, equipment rentals, and marketing expenses. The cost of bringing an artist to a venue is often far higher than just their performance fee.

Once the artist is confirmed, the production process moves into the technical planning phase.

Technical and Hospitality Riders

Show Blueprints

Once a concert is booked, the venue receives two essential documents from the artist’s team:

• The Technical Rider – Details all staging, lighting, audio, and backline equipment required for the show.

• The Hospitality Rider – Covers artist accommodations, food, dressing room setup, and other personal requests.

These riders serve as the blueprint for the event, dictating everything from microphone placement to catering needs.

The technical rider provides insight into the performance itself. If the document includes haze machines, laser effects, and LED walls, the show will likely be a high-energy spectacle. If it lists acoustic instruments and minimal lighting, the performance will be more intimate. The rider also outlines stage plots, lighting plots, and backline rental requirements, ensuring that the venue provides all necessary gear.

The hospitality rider is where infamous requests like “only green M&Ms” come into play. While these demands may seem eccentric––and the presenter has a right to amend the contract to read otherwise, they often serve a logistical purpose. For example, unusual requests help confirm that the contract has been read thoroughly. If a venue misses a minor detail, the artist’s team can use that oversight as leverage if something more critical goes wrong.

Beyond the quirky requests, hospitality riders cover:

• Food and beverage needs (including dietary restrictions)

• Dressing room requirements (mirrors, furniture, temperature control)

• Security details (personal security for high-profile artists)

• Travel arrangements (flights, hotels, transportation)

For large-scale touring acts, these riders can be dozens of pages long.

Load-In, Setup, and Soundcheck

A concert setup can take several hours to multiple days, depending on the production scale, venue size, and the artist’s staging requirements.

Load-In: The process begins early in the morning (or even the previous night for massive stadium productions) when semi-trucks filled with lighting, sound, and set pieces arrive. Stagehands and riggers immediately get to work unloading and organizing equipment, following a detailed production timeline set by the tour’s technical director and local venue staff.

One of the biggest challenges of load-in is ensuring all departments—audio, lighting, and staging—work efficiently without stepping on each other’s toes. The staging crew must first build the performance space, often assembling risers, drum platforms, or LED walls. Only once this is in place can the lighting crew begin hanging fixtures from the overhead trusses, running power cables, and programming their lighting consoles.

Meanwhile, the audio team sets up their equipment, positioning line arrays (speakers), placing microphones, and testing signal chains to ensure flawless sound reproduction.

Soundcheck

One of the most critical parts of the pre-show routine. Soundcheck isn’t just about making sure the artist sounds good for large concerts—it’s about ensuring every technical component works perfectly.

• The front-of-house (FOH) engineer fine-tunes the venue’s sound system, accounting for acoustics.

• The monitor engineer works closely with the band, adjusting in-ear monitors or wedge speakers so the band members can hear themselves properly.

• The lighting team runs cue sequences, ensuring smooth transitions and syncing visual effects to the music.

Some artists attend their soundcheck personally, making last-minute adjustments, while others hire “techs” to place and check their gear for them. Every show has its own identity and requirements.

Backstage Teams

Behind every great concert is a team of highly specialized professionals ensuring the show runs smoothly. These teams fall into three primary categories:

• Audio Crew – Manages sound quality, microphones, speaker arrays, and mixing consoles.

• Lighting Crew – Handles stage lighting, visual effects, and cue synchronization.

• Stage Crew – Assembles set pieces, operates pyrotechnics(if applicable), and manages artist movements.

Some artists travel with their own technical staff, while others rely on local venue crews to handle staging and logistics. Touring productions may also include a road manager, tour accountant, and wardrobe specialists–all must be given offices and hospitality. 

Challenges and Emergencies

No matter how well a concert is planned, things will go wrong. The best production teams anticipate problems and have contingency plans in place.

Equipment Failure: Microphones may die mid-show, LED screens malfunction, or entire sound systems can lose power. Engineers mitigate these risks by keeping backup equipment on standby. Crews employ a “two is one and one is none” mentality.

Logistical Delays: If an artist’s instruments or stage props don’t arrive on time, local production teams must scramble to find replacements. Tour managers coordinate last-minute rentals or borrow gear from other musicians.

Weather Complications: Outdoor concerts face significant risks from high winds, rain, snow, or excessive heat. Entire festivals have been evacuated due to severe weather concerns.

Miscommunication: If the wrong stage dimensions were provided, a band’s set pieces might not fit. If the wrong lighting fixtures are rented, the show may lack the expected visual impact. These issues require on-the-fly problem-solving.

Showtime!

Finally, the moment arrives—the artist takes the stage.

For the crew, this becomes a break time. For others, this is what they came for.

• The audio engineers adjust levels in real time.

• The lighting team follows the pre-programmed cue sequences.

• The stage crew stands by for quick adjustments.

Once the final encore finishes, the teardown process—known as the “load-out”—begins immediately. The local stagehand crew that set up the show now works to break everything down efficiently and “get the show on the road.”

The cycle continues for artists on the road—a never-ending loop of travel, setup, performance, and teardown.

The Next Time You Go to a Concert

Take a moment to appreciate the complexity behind the scenes. Every light cue, speaker setup, and stage prop is the result of months of planning and the efforts of dozens—if not hundreds—of skilled professionals.

From the booking agents who secure the show to the backstage crew who make it happen, live music is a symphony of logistics, technology, and artistry.

The ultimate goal is to create a flawless experience for the audience, one where the only thing they notice is the music itself.

Welcome to the world of concert production—where the real show happens backstage.