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While browsing through the Smoking Gun website, I found a copy of the technical and backstage contract riders for Penn and Teller (2001).

The backstage requirements (food, dressing rooms, etc.) are minimal and sensible -- especially when compared with other acts! But I found the technical requirements interesting. Don't know if anyone else will.

I particularly love the job title "Director of Covert Activities".

No Spinal Tap rider?

The excellent Popbitch also likes to spill the beans on bizarre riders.

I've just found David Copperfield's rider as well.

Grilled boneless chicken breast with teriyaki sauce to be available at a moment's notice.

Robbie wrote:I've just found David Copperfield's rider as well.

Grilled boneless chicken breast with teriyaki sauce to be available at a moment's notice.

"At a moment's notice". What a complete member

I thought he could just snap his fingers and make it appear on his plate.

Sounds a little like Mandrake's rider as I noticed a lot of common items there

No brown M&Ms! VAN HALEN (c)

Copperfield's rider is funny stuff

TheStoner wrote:No brown M&Ms! VAN HALEN (c)

Apparently that's to ensure that the rider was followed to the letter. If you have lots of stage safety requirements that need to be fulfilled, I guess "Give me some M&Ms, but no brown ones" is quite an intuitive test...

dat8962 wrote:Sounds a little like Mandrake's rider as I noticed a lot of common items there

You say that like it’s a bad thing?!! (I can't wait to see what the Riders are for the performers at Middleton Hall!)

Actually, if Dave Copperfield gets his chicken at a moment's notice, it must be being kept warm somewhere rather than being cooked fresh - perhaps KFC have the Rider contract for him?

When I last saw The Damned, it seems that the rider consisted of an awful lot of Stella Artios lager. There were tins everywhere!

You say that like it’s a bad thing?!! (I can't wait to see what the Riders are for the performers at Middleton Hall!)

Not at all - get what you can out of it is what I say

I insisted on being able to park my car within quarter of a mile of the Hall. That Paul Bell was a tough negotiator but I held my ground!