Mötley Crüe are 45 years in and showing absolutely no signs of slowing down. Epoch and Global Merchandising Services have announced a new licensing partnership to produce a premium Mötley Crüe trading card collection, scheduled for release in December 2026 across North America. The line will be available at hobby stores, specialty retailers, independent shops, and major mass-market retail outlets.
The inaugural collection is built for serious collectors. Premium trading cards celebrate the band’s full legacy, with chase elements including authentic hand-signed cards and rare memorabilia inserts featuring concert-used items, guitar picks, drumsticks, and lanyards directly connected to the band. Global Merchandising Services will preview the collection at its booth (B170) at the upcoming Licensing Expo.
On the vinyl front, the rock legends recently announced ‘Crücial Crüe 1981 – 1989,’ a new five-album box set arriving July 10 via BMG. The package includes the band’s first 5 albums as limited edition picture discs on both CD and LP. An ultra-limited Crüeseum Exclusive edition, featuring a reverse color out box, is limited to 250 hand-numbered units.
Also incoming is ‘Crüe 45 RPM – The Singles Collection,’ an ultra-limited, hand-numbered, foil-packaged series of 10-inch vinyl available exclusively at the Crüeseum. Details are still forthcoming. Adding further significance to the year, the original 1981 Leathür Records version of their debut ‘Too Fast For Love’ also turns 45 in 2026.
This summer, Mötley Crüe head back out on the road for “The Return Of The Carnival Of Sins Tour,” their first extensive touring in 2 years. The 35-city North American run spanning July, August, and September marks the 20th anniversary of their groundbreaking 2006 “Carnival Of Sins Tour,” with a reimagined show and updated setlist. One dollar from every ticket sold goes to ASAP! (After School Arts Program) through the Mötley Crüe Giveback Initiative, supporting students with hands-on music and arts programming.
Mötley Crüe just keeps delivering for their fans, and 2026 is shaping up to be one of their biggest years in recent memory.
Ten years ago, Chance the Rapper changed the rules. ‘Coloring Book,’ released in May 2016, became the first streaming-only project to win a Grammy Award, and it did so on Chance’s own terms, independent, community-driven, and completely his own. Now he’s marking the milestone with The Coloring Book 10 Tour, a massive North American run launching August 11 in Cleveland and wrapping October 11 in Pittsburgh.
The mixtape that sparked it all blended gospel, hip-hop, and soulful live instrumentation into something that felt genuinely joyful and unlike anything else in the conversation at the time. Collaborators on the project included Justin Bieber, Kirk Franklin, Lil Wayne, 2 Chainz, T-Pain, and Saba, with production from Kaytranada, Brasstracks, and Francis and the Lights, alongside longtime creative partners Nico Segal, Peter Cottontale, and The Social Experiment.
The tour hits more than 40 cities across the U.S. and Canada, with stops at New York’s SummerStage Central Park, Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium, the Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park in Austin, Seattle’s Paramount Theatre, and Denver’s Fillmore Auditorium, among many others. It’s a full coast-to-coast celebration of an album that still resonates a decade on.
Presales open May 19, with general on-sale beginning May 21 at 10 am local time. VIP packages are available. Full details and tickets at chancetherapper.com.
Chance the Rapper 2026 The Coloring Book 10 Year Anniversary Tour Dates:
August 11 – Cleveland, OH @ House of Blues
August 14 – Waterloo, NY @ The Vine Showroom at del Lago Resort & Casino
August 15 – Montreal, QC @ MTELUS
August 16 – Toronto, ON @ HISTORY
August 18 – New York, NY @ SummerStage Central Park
August 20 – Boston, MA @ MGM Music Hall at Fenway
August 21 – Huntington, NY @ The Paramount
August 22 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Fillmore Philadelphia
August 23 – Asbury Park, NJ @ Stone Pony Summer Stage
August 25 – Baltimore, MD @ Nevermore Hall
August 29 – Raleigh, NC @ Red Hat Amphitheater
August 30 – Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium
September 1 – Birmingham, AL @ Avondale Brewing Company
September 2 – Cincinnati, OH @ The Andrew J Brady Music Center
September 3 – Atlanta, GA @ Coca-Cola Roxy
September 5 – Tampa, FL @ The Ritz Ybor
September 6 – Hollywood, FL @ Hard Rock Live
September 8 – Memphis, TN @ Satellite Music Hall
September 9 – New Orleans, LA @ The Fillmore New Orleans
September 10 – Dallas, TX @ South Side Ballroom
September 12 – Houston, TX @ 713 Music Hall
September 13 – Austin, TX @ Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park
September 16 – Phoenix, AZ @ Arizona Financial Theatre
September 18 – Reno, NV @ Grand Theatre at The Grand Sierra Resort
September 21 – Wheatland, CA @ Hard Rock Live
September 22 – San Francisco, CA @ The Masonic
September 25 – Vancouver, BC @ Freedom Mobile Arch
September 26 – Seattle, WA @ Paramount Theatre
September 27 – Portland, OR @ Theater of the Clouds
September 29 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Union Event Center
October 1 – Denver, CO @ Fillmore Auditorium
October 2 – Council Bluffs, IA @ Harrah’s Stir Cove
October 4 – Milwaukee, WI @ Landmark Credit Union Live
October 6 – Minneapolis, MN @ The Armory
October 7 – St. Louis, MO @ The Pageant
October 10 – Louisville, KY @ Old Forester’s Paristown Hall
October 11 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Citizens Live at The Wylie
The Revivalists have a lot going on right now, and all of it is worth paying attention to. The RIAA Multi-Platinum-certified New Orleans outfit has shared “Razorblades and Runways,” a bittersweet, soft-soul new single via Concord Records, and it’s one of the most personal things frontman David Shaw has put to tape. The track is out now, with the full album ‘Get It Honest’ arriving July 24.
Shaw doesn’t dress it up. “Looking back, I spent years chasing thrills fueled by ego,” he says. “Now I get to pursue my craft with the same passion, but instead the thing that drives me is my family, my wife, my daughter, my friends, and Ricky Peach, my cat who gets a nod in this tune.” That kind of specificity is exactly what makes “Razorblades and Runways” land the way it does, warm, reflective, and completely sincere.
The single follows “Heart Stop,” the album’s colossal opening track, currently sitting at number 21 on the Triple A radio chart. Co-written by Shaw with 3x Grammy-nominated New Orleans musician Andriu “YÃ no” Yanovski and drummer PJ Howard, the track comes with a music video directed by Caroline Iaffaldano, shot entirely through a first-person-view helmet cam inside an iconic New Orleans shotgun house, featuring dancer Malerie Dempster.
‘Get It Honest’ is The Revivalists’ sixth studio album and their first all-new full-length in over 3 years. Produced by Grammy Award-winner Rich Costey (Vampire Weekend, Foo Fighters, Death Cab for Cutie) at Vermont’s Guilford Sound, the 12-track collection finds a band that has fully settled into who they are. With 7 of 8 members now fathers, the record is built around cutting loose what drags you down and holding tight to what keeps you going.
“To me, this album is about understanding this point and learning to work with it like a potter works the clay,” Shaw reflects. “Our flaws and imperfections are what ultimately make us human and beautiful.” Songs like “Lost and Found” and the title track carry that realization forward with real emotional weight.
The Get It Honest Tour launches July 14 with 2 sold-out nights at Nantucket’s Chicken Box and runs through November. Highlights include the “Opry 100” celebration at the Grand Ole Opry on May 22, a FIFA Fan Festival appearance in Vancouver on June 11, a record-release weekend headline set at David Shaw’s Big River Get Down on July 25, a run supporting The Red Clay Strays including Madison Square Garden on August 9, and their annual return to Red Rocks Amphitheatre on September 25.
The band has also partnered with Concerted on an “honest ticket” program, offering free tickets to fans who complete 2 hours of community service. Additionally, The Revivalists are setting sail November 3-7 from Miami to Nassau aboard Norwegian Jewel for The Revivalists Present Otherside of Paradise at Sea. Vinyl pre-orders and pre-saves for ‘Get It Honest’ are live now at therevivalists.com.
The Revivalists 2026 Tour Dates:
May 21 – Madison, TN @ Harken Hall
May 22 – Nashville, TN @ Grand Ole Opry *
June 11 – Vancouver, BC @ FIFA Fan Festival â€
June 24 – Interlochen, MI @ Interlochen Center for the Arts ∞
June 26 – Milwaukee, WI @ Summerfest â€
June 28 – Saratoga Springs, NY @ Saratoga Jazz Festival â€
July 1 – Seattle, WA @ Woodland Park Zoo ¡
July 2 – Portland, OR @ Waterfront Blues Festival â€
July 14 – Nantucket, MA @ Chicken Box SOLD OUT
July 15 – Nantucket, MA @ Chicken Box SOLD OUT
July 17 – Snowshoe, WV @ 4848 Festival at Snowshoe Mountain Resort â€
July 25 – Hamilton, OH @ David Shaw’s Big River Get Down â€
July 30 – Columbia, MD @ Merriweather Post Pavilion ^
August 1 – Boston, MA @ TD Garden ^
August 2 – Sidney, ME @ Bowl in the Pines %
August 4 – Deerfield, MA @ Treehouse Brewing %
August 5 – Montreal, QC @ Place Bell ^
August 7 – Philadelphia, PA @ TD Pavilion ^
August 9 – New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden ^
August 11 – Westport, CT @ Levitt Pavilion #
August 13 – Fairlee, VT @ Lake Morey Resort Summer Concert Series #
August 14 – Chautauqua, NY @ Chautauqua Institution
September 22 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre =
September 25 – Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre •
September 30 – Toronto, ON @ RBC Amphitheatre ^
October 1 – Pittsburgh, PA @ PPG Paints Arena ^
October 3 – Grand Rapids, MI @ Van Andel Arena ^
October 4 – Chicago, IL @ The Salt Shed +
October 7 – Allentown, PA @ Archer Music Hall
October 10 – Atlantic City, NJ @ Ovation Music Hall
October 13 – Charlotte, NC @ The Fillmore #
October 14 – Orlando, FL @ Kia Center ^
October 15 – Savannah, GA @ Enmarket Arena ^
October 17 – Charleston, SC @ Credit One Stadium ^
A Perfect Circle just made their 2026 “Pacific Ring of Fire Tour” considerably larger. The multi-platinum rock outfit has added Japan, Hawaii, and a second Sydney date to an already globe-spanning itinerary, with Puscifer joining them across Mexico, South America, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and Hawaii.
Founding member Billy Howerdel put it plainly. “Pretty, pretty excited to be getting back to places we haven’t played in over 20 years,” he says. “Adding Japan and Hawaii to our 2026 Pacific Ring of Fire tour, with Puscifer joining us across the world.” That’s not a casual reunion. That’s a full reckoning with a global fanbase that’s been waiting a long time.
The tour is already underway in Europe, opening with 2 sold-out nights at London’s O2 Academy Brixton on June 3 and 4. The European leg runs through major festivals including Rock Im Park, Rock am Ring, Nova Rock, Hellfest, and Copenhell, with headline dates across Germany, Poland, Austria, Italy, Hungary, Croatia, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Czech Republic, Luxembourg, Belgium, Portugal, and France.
From there, A Perfect Circle heads to Mexico City, Buenos Aires, and Santiago in November, followed by their first Australian and New Zealand performances in 13 years in December. Japan dates in Tokyo and Osaka follow, closing the year in Honolulu at the Neal S. Blaisdell Arena.
Presales for newly announced dates open May 19. Japanese dates go on sale June 13 at 10 am local time. The second Sydney show and Hawaii go on sale May 22 at 10 am local time.
A Perfect Circle 2026 Pacific Ring of Fire Tour Dates:
June 3 – London, UK @ O2 Academy Brixton
June 4 – London, UK @ O2 Academy Brixton
June 6 – Nürnberg, DE @ Rock Im Park
June 7 – Nürburg, DE @ Rock am Ring
June 9 – München, DE @ Zenith
June 10 – Warszawa, PL @ Torwar
June 12 – Wien, AT @ Nova Rock Festival
June 13 – Ferrara, IT @ Ferrara Summer Festival
June 15 – Budapest, HU @ Budapest Park
June 16 – Zagreb, HR @ SRC Šalata
June 18 – Zürich, CH @ Halle622
June 20 – Clisson, FR @ Hellfest
June 21 – Düsseldorf, DE @ Mitsubishi Hall
June 23 – Tilburg, NL @ Poppodium 013
June 24 – Amsterdam, NL @ AFAS Live
June 26 – København, DK @ Copenhell
June 27 – Oslo, NO @ Tons of Rock
June 28 – Stockholm, SE @ Gröna Lund
July 1 – Berlin, DE @ Zitadelle
July 2 – Praha, CZ @ Forum KarlÃn
July 4 – Esch-sur-Alzette, LU @ Rockhal
July 5 – Werchter, BE @ Rock Werchter 2026
July 7 – Paris, FR @ Zenith Paris
July 9 – Oeiras, PT @ NOS Alive 2026
July 10 – Madrid, ES @ Mad Cool Festival
November 25 – Mexico City, MX @ Estadio Fray Nano
November 28 – Buenos Aires, AR @ Microestadio Argentinos Juniors
November 29 – Santiago, CL @ Hipódromo de Chile
December 4 – Adelaide, AU @ The Drive
December 6 – Melbourne, AU @ Rod Laver Arena
December 8 – Brisbane, AU @ Riverstage
December 10 – Sydney, AU @ Carriageworks
December 11 – Sydney, AU @ TikTok Entertainment Centre
December 13 – Auckland, NZ @ Spark Arena
December 15 – Tokyo, JP @ Zepp DiverCity
December 17 – Osaka, JP @ Zepp Bayside
December 19 – Honolulu, HI @ Neal S. Blaisdell Arena
Puscifer is taking the “Normal Isn’t Tour” international. The art-rock collective has announced a full European run kicking off October 25 in Stockholm and wrapping November 12 in Dublin, marking their first European and U.K. performances since 2023. Stops include Oslo, Warsaw, Berlin, Zürich, Brussels, Tilburg, Amsterdam, London, Manchester, and Glasgow, with Dave Hill supporting on all dates.
Frontman Maynard James Keenan didn’t hold back on the excitement. “I just got off a Zoom call with The Synth Whisperer, Fanny Grey, and Bellendia Black,” he says. “They could barely contain their enthusiasm about taking the Puscifer Normal Isn’t show out on its first international tour.” Their mission statement, as he puts it: “Observe. Integrate. Synthesize. Assimilate.”
The European dates are part of a broader global expansion. Puscifer will also join A Perfect Circle for their 2026 “Pacific Ring of Fire Tour,” with newly announced stops in Japan and Hawaii, plus previously announced dates in Mexico City, South America, Australia, and New Zealand.
Presales open May 19, with general on-sale beginning May 22 at 10 am local time. Tickets are available now at puscifer.com.
Puscifer 2026 Normal Isn’t European Tour Dates:
October 25 – Stockholm, SE @ Annexet
October 26 – Oslo, NO @ Konserthus
October 28 – Warsaw, PL @ Stodola
October 30 – Berlin, DE @ Uber Eats Hall
November 1 – Zürich, CH @ Komplex 457
November 2 – Brussels, BE @ A/B
November 3 – Tilburg, NL @ 013
November 5 – Amsterdam, NL @ Gashouder
November 7 – London, UK @ British Airways ARC
November 8 – Manchester, UK @ Manchester Academy
The 2-time GRAMMY-winning string band Old Crow Medicine Show has shared “Last American Waltz,” a gorgeous new single featuring Molly Tuttle, from their upcoming album ‘Union Made,’ due June 5 on Hartland Records via Firebird Music. Filmed in the dancehall of Nashville’s American Legion, the accompanying music video gives the track the kind of setting it deserves, warm, lived-in, and deeply American.
Bandleader Ketch Secor describes it as “a love song to America in 3/4 time,” built to feel timeless. “We wanted it to feel like the kind of song that could drift across a dancehall floor at midnight or echo through an old American Legion hall after the lights come up,” he says. Having Molly Tuttle on the recording, he adds, brought even more heart and soul to the track. It shows.
“Last American Waltz” follows “My Side Of The Mountain,” a generation-spanning collaboration co-written by Secor, Tuttle, and Luke Combs, and featuring bluegrass legends Del McCoury and Ronnie McCoury. That single drew early attention from The Bluegrass Situation, Relix, Whiskey Riff, MusicRow, and AmericanaUK, among others.
Produced by Morgan Jahnig and recorded at the band’s own East Nashville studio, ‘Union Made’ is Old Crow Medicine Show’s most collaborative project to date. The album features nearly a dozen guests including Maggie Rose, Turnpike Troubadours’ Evan Felker, Jesse Welles, Lee Oskar, John Carter Cash, and Ana Cristina Cash.
‘Union Made’ finds the band reflecting on the people, places, and stories of a country approaching its 250th birthday. Inspired by nearly 30 years of performing, from the street corners of Western North Carolina to the nation’s biggest stages, the album is a full-throated celebration of American roots music across its many forms, mountain music, bluegrass, old-time, and folk.
This follows ‘OCMS XMAS,’ the band’s first-ever holiday album, which drew acclaim from The New York Times, NPR’s Fresh Air, and Billboard, with TV appearances on CBS This Morning and The Kelly Clarkson Show. Ketch Secor also released his solo album ‘Story The Crow Told Me’ last year and became the new host of Tennessee Crossroads on Nashville PBS.
Old Crow Medicine Show is on the road now with a packed schedule running through November, including stops at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Fenway Park, PPG Paints Arena, and many more. Pre-order for ‘Union Made’ is live now at crowmedicine.com.
‘Union Made’ Tracklist:
Howdy Do America ft. Jesse Welles
Lincoln Highway
My Side Of The Mountain ft. Del McCoury, Ronnie McCoury & Molly Tuttle
Revolution Now ft. Evan Felker
Last American Waltz
Merrimack & Monitor
Rainbow Stew
Rye Whiskey
Beautiful Land ft. Maggie Rose & Lee Oskar
Lewis and Clark
Y’all All Come ft. John Carter Cash & Ana Cristina Cash
For What It’s Worth
Old Crow Medicine Show 2026 Tour Dates:
May 14 – Salina, KS @ The Stiefel Theatre
May 15 – Bellvue, CO @ Mishawaka Amphitheatre *
May 16 – Aztec, NM @ Tico Time Bluegrass Festival
May 17 – Boulder, CO @ Boulder Theater *
May 28 – Cary, NC @ Koka Booth Amphitheatre +
May 29 – Richmond, VA @ Music at Maymont +
May 30 – Columbia, SC @ Songbird Festival – Finlay Park
June 4 – Ridgewood, NY @ Gottscheer Hall
June 6 – Paris, TN @ Tennessee River Jam
June 19 – Vitoria-Gasteiz, ES @ Azkena Rock Festival
June 20 – Grolloo, NL @ Holland International Blues Festival
June 25 – Prior Lake, MN @ The Great Midwest Ribfest
June 26 – Bloomington, IL @ Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts =
June 27 – Cedar Rapids, IA @ Paramount Theatre =
June 28 – Louisville, KY @ The Louisville Palace Theatre =
July 13 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Twilight Concert Series – The Gallivan Center #
July 14 – Colorado Springs, CO @ Pikes Peak Center %
July 15 – Casper, WY @ Ford Wyoming Center %
July 17 – Whitefish, MT @ Under The Big Sky
July 18 – Emigrant, MT @ The Old Saloon
July 21 – Ketchum, ID @ Argyros Performing Arts Center
July 23 – Phoenix, AZ @ Arizona Financial Theatre ^
July 24 – Albuquerque, NM @ First Financial Credit Union Amphitheater ^
July 25 – Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre ^
July 26 – Omaha, NE @ Steelhouse Omaha
July 31 – Albany, NY @ MVP Arena ^^
August 1 – Port Chester, NY @ Capitol Theatre ~
August 2 – Boston, MA @ Fenway Park ^^
August 5 – Erie, PA @ Rebich Investments Amphitheater **
August 6 – Lynchburg, VA @ Academy Center of the Arts **
August 8 – Myrtle Beach, SC @ Alabama Theatre **
August 13 – Pittsburgh, PA @ PPG Paints Arena ^^
August 14 – Columbus, OH @ Nationwide Arena ^^
August 15 – Columbia, MD @ Merriweather Post ^^
August 28 – West Fargo, ND @ Buckaroo Festival – Lights Ampitheatre
September 13 – Bristol, TN & VA @ Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion
September 15 – Red Bank, NJ @ Count Basie Center for the Arts $
September 17 – Patchogue, NY @ Patchogue Theatre $
September 18 – Shelburne, VT @ Ben & Jerry’s Concerts on the Green – Shelburne Museum $
September 19 – Hammondsport, NY @ Concerts at Point of the Bluff $
September 20 – Morgantown, WV @ The Metropolitan Theatre $
October 1 – Reno, NV @ Grand Sierra Resort
October 9 – Eureka Springs, AR @ Hillberry Music Festival
October 15 – Franklin, NC @ Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts $
October 16 – Charleston, WV @ Clay Center $
October 17 – Jim Thorpe, PA @ Penn’s Peak $
October 18 – York, PA @ Appell Center for the Performing Arts $
October 27 – Milwaukee, WI @ Riverside Theater
October 29 – Kansas City, MO @ Knuckleheads
October 30 – Oklahoma City, OK @ The Jones Assembly
October 31 – San Antonio, TX @ Stable Hall
November 1 – Dallas, TX @ Majestic Theatre
November 11–15 – Miami, FL @ Moon River At Sea
* with Madeline Hawthorne + with Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives = with Trey Hensley # with Big Richard, Michelle Moonshine % with Big Richard ^ with Darius Rucker, Austin Williams ^^ with Zac Brown Band ~ with Deadgrass ** with Presley Haile $ with Palmyra
Radiohead delivered something rare at Pinkpop on May 20, 1996, a festival set that felt like a reckoning. Already reshaping alt-rock from the ground up, the British five-piece brought melancholy and raw power to Landgraaf, Netherlands, in equal measure. Thom Yorke’s voice moved from fragile to fierce within a single phrase, turning the open-air stage into something close and urgent. Jonny Greenwood and Ed O’Brien layered guitars that were equal parts tender and sharp, while Colin Greenwood’s bass and Phil Selway’s drumming locked everything into place with real conviction. The crowd swayed, sang along, and never looked away.
Nobody ever walked out of a mosh pit and said “that was fine, quite pleasant, very orderly.” They either walked out buzzing like they’d touched a live wire, or they walked out with someone else’s elbow print on their face wondering what on earth just happened. This guide is firmly aimed at getting you into the first category.
This is not a guide telling you to avoid the pit. If you want to stand at the back near the sound desk nursing a drink and nodding along, that is a completely valid life choice and nobody is judging you. But if you want to get in there, this is how you do it without ending up as a cautionary tale your friends bring up at every show for the next three years.
Know What You’re Walking Into
Not all pits are created equal, and walking into the wrong one unprepared is like showing up to a swimming race having only ever done a bit of paddling. A circle pit at a pop punk show is basically a very enthusiastic group jog. A wall of death at a metal festival is something else entirely, and if you don’t know what a wall of death is, please spend two minutes on YouTube before you accidentally find yourself in one. Watch from the edge first. Get a feel for the energy. Are people bouncing off each other in a friendly sort of way, or does it look like a tumble dryer full of very angry laundry? Both are valid pit experiences. Just know which one you’re joining.
Dress For It
Wear proper shoes. This sounds so obvious that it barely needs saying, and yet every show there’s someone in sandals looking surprised that their feet are being stepped on. Trainers, laced up properly, on your feet. That’s the entire footwear brief. Beyond that, wear something you’re not precious about because it’s going to get sweaty, possibly stretched, and definitely a bit gross. Leave your valuables with a friend outside the pit or in a locker. Your phone, your wallet, your nice watch, the expensive necklace. All of it. Because nothing kills the vibe faster than spending the best song of the night on your hands and knees looking for something you dropped. Also take off hoop earrings. Trust me on this one.
The Unwritten Rules
Every subculture has a code and moshing is no different. Nobody hands you a rulebook at the door but the rules are very real and the people around you absolutely know them. Rule one, and this is the big one: if someone falls, you pick them up. Immediately. Before anything else. You don’t step over them, you don’t keep moshing, you get them back on their feet. This is the most sacred rule in the pit and the reason a good mosh crowd is actually a surprisingly decent bunch of people once you’re in it. Rule two: this is not fighting. There’s a difference between bouncing into someone with your shoulder and deliberately throwing a punch, and everyone in the pit knows exactly which one you’re doing. Don’t be that person. Rule three: watch your elbows. Keeping your arms up to protect yourself is sensible. Using them as weapons is not. There’s a very fine line and your neighbours will notice if you cross it.
Protect Yourself Without Turning Into a Human Pinball
Your instinct when things get intense is to tense up like you’re bracing for a car crash. This is actually the wrong move. Staying loose is safer, absorbs impact better, and makes you much harder to knock over. Keep your knees slightly bent, your weight balanced, and your arms up in front of your chest. Not aggressively, just enough to give yourself a small buffer and protect your ribs and face. If you go down, tuck your chin, get up fast, and remember that the people around you should be helping. If they’re not, you’re in the wrong pit and you should leave it immediately and go find a better one.
Know When to Get Out
This is genuinely the most important skill in the whole guide and the one that takes the most honesty with yourself. There’s a difference between “this is intense and I love it” and “this is intense and something is wrong.” If the crowd surges and you can’t get your feet back under you, if someone near you is behaving aggressively and security hasn’t clocked it yet, if you feel a rising panic that the music isn’t fixing, those are all signals to move toward the edge. Work with the movement of the crowd rather than against it. Edge sideways, catch a security guard’s eye, and get yourself out. You can rejoin from the edge once things settle or you can watch the rest of the show from somewhere less chaotic. Either is a perfectly good outcome. Getting out when something feels wrong is never the wrong call, and anyone who gives you grief for it can stay in the pit by themselves.
Hydration: Boring Word, Important Thing
A mosh pit is essentially a very loud sauna that’s also playing your favourite band. You will sweat. You will sweat more than you think you will. You will sweat more than that. Drink water before you go in. Get out for water during the set if you need to. If you feel dizzy, nauseous, or like the room is doing something rooms shouldn’t do, get out and drink something immediately. Dehydration sneaks up on you fast when you’re physically active and completely distracted by the music. Look after yourself. The encore will still be great from the side of the room.
Look Out for the People Around You
Here’s the thing about mosh pits that surprises people who’ve never been in one. The crowd that looks like absolute mayhem from the outside is often genuinely looking out for each other on the inside. The people who’ve been doing this the longest are usually the most aware of who’s struggling around them. So be one of those people. If someone looks panicked, check on them. If a crowd surfer is coming over at a bad angle, help steer them down safely. If someone smaller than you is getting swallowed up, make a bit of space. You’re not their babysitter, but you are temporarily sharing a very small, very chaotic patch of floor with them, and a little awareness goes a long way.
The Bit at the End Where We Get Briefly Serious
If you see something genuinely dangerous, tell security. Not because you’re being a killjoy, but because security can actually do something about it and you can’t. If someone is unconscious, not moving, or clearly in distress, shout for help immediately and loudly. Shows get stopped for this and that’s fine. No gig is worth someone getting seriously hurt. The band will understand. They’ve all been in the pit too.
If you’ve ever heard the story about Van Halen demanding a bowl of M&Ms with all the brown ones removed, you already know what a rider is, even if you didn’t know it had a name. But here’s the thing: that request wasn’t rock star nonsense. It was a clever way to check whether a venue had actually read the contract. If the brown M&Ms were gone, the technical requirements probably were read all the way through. That’s the spirit of a good rider. Not entitlement. Insurance.
Whether you’re playing your first run of 300-capacity rooms or you’re stepping up to theatres and festivals, a well-written rider protects you, sets professional expectations, and makes your show actually happen the way you planned it. Here’s how to write one.
First Things First: What Actually Is a Rider?
A rider is a document attached to your performance contract that lists your technical and hospitality requirements. It tells the venue what you need to perform, from the PA system to the number of sandwiches backstage. There are typically two parts: the Technical Rider, which covers everything the sound and lighting crew need to know, and the Hospitality Rider, which covers food, drink, and backstage conditions. Both matter. Neither should be ignored.
Who Needs a Rider?
Everyone who plays live, honestly, but the level of detail scales with where you’re at in your career. If you’re just starting out, a one-page rider is fine and will immediately mark you out as a professional. If you’re mid-level and touring regularly, a detailed rider can be the difference between a great show and a disaster. The venues you’re playing at this stage are bigger, the production is more complex, and there are more ways things can go wrong.
The Technical Rider
This is the important one. Get this wrong and your show suffers. Get it right and your sound engineer will love you. Start with your Stage Plot, a simple diagram showing where everyone stands on stage, where the monitors go, and where the amps and backline sit. You can draw this by hand, use a free tool like Stage Plot Pro, or even do it in PowerPoint. It doesn’t need to be beautiful, it needs to be clear. Next comes your Input List, a numbered list of every channel going into the mixing desk. Channel 1: kick drum. Channel 2: snare. Channel 3: bass DI. And so on. Include what microphone or DI box you prefer for each source if you have preferences, but don’t be precious about it if you’re at the smaller end of the scale.
Your PA Requirements should describe the size and quality of system you need. For smaller artists this might just be “a professional front-of-house system capable of filling the room.” As you grow, you’ll get more specific about brands and configurations. On monitors, list how many separate mixes you need and where. A basic band might need three or four, with the drummer hearing more kick and less vocals, the singer hearing less guitar and more of themselves. Write it out clearly so there’s no guesswork on the day.
On backline, be upfront about whether you’re carrying your own gear or need the venue to provide it. If you need a drum kit, specify the sizes. If you need a guitar amp, name the brand you prefer. If you’re happy to use what’s there, say so, because venues genuinely appreciate flexibility from emerging artists. Finally, always include an advance contact: the name, phone number, and email of whoever the venue’s technical team should call with questions. Don’t make them chase your booking agent for this.
The Hospitality Rider
This is where riders get their reputation, fairly or not. Yes, some artists go completely overboard. But a reasonable hospitality rider is just basic human decency. You’re asking for what you need to do your job. On catering, if the venue is providing a meal, say when you need it, usually before soundcheck or after doors. List any dietary requirements clearly, especially allergies, and be specific rather than vague. “Vegetarian option” is not the same as “no meat, no fish, no gelatine.” The more clearly you write it, the less likely you are to arrive hungry to a plate of something you can’t eat.
For drinks, keep it reasonable and keep it practical. Water on stage is non-negotiable, so list how many bottles you need and where you want them. Backstage, a few soft drinks, some juice, tea and coffee, and a modest amount of alcohol if that’s your thing, is entirely reasonable. What isn’t reasonable, unless you’re selling out arenas, is demanding specific craft beers, branded spirits, or enough food to feed a small village. The venue reads your rider before they agree to have you. An absurd hospitality list is a red flag that you’re going to be difficult.
Dressing Room Requirements
Keep this section functional. How many people are in your party? You need enough space and seating for all of them. Do you need a private bathroom? Mirrors for getting ready? A working lock on the door? Say so. If you have a support act, think about whether you need separate rooms or whether you’re happy to share. These are practical questions, not luxury demands.
Guest List and Passes
This isn’t always part of the rider but it’s worth including. How many guests does each band member get? Who handles the guest list, the tour manager or the booking agent? How many AAA passes, stage passes, and photo passes are you issuing? Getting this in writing saves arguments at the door every single night of the tour and means nobody is standing in the rain at the guest list desk while you’re trying to get ready for your set.
The Golden Rules
Keep it proportionate to where you’re at. A three-piece indie band on their first UK tour does not need four pages of requirements. Update it regularly as your production changes, because sending a rider with the wrong input list is worse than sending none at all. Write it clearly, in plain language, so a venue technician reading it at 9am on show day can understand it without calling anyone. And always, always send it in advance. Dropping a rider on a venue the morning of the show is not professional behaviour.
One Last Thing
A rider is a living document. The best ones get refined after every tour, updated when something goes wrong, and tightened when something turns out not to matter. Talk to your sound engineer, your tour manager, and your bandmates. Ask other artists at your level what they include. And if you’re ever unsure whether a request is reasonable, ask yourself honestly whether the venue is likely to read it and nod, or read it and roll their eyes. That’s usually all the guidance you need.
