Backstage Riders From Famous Bands Visualized

Henry Hargreaves (the talented conceptual photographer responsible for recreating the Last Meals Of Inmates On Death Row) is back with another compelling photographic project. Now part of being a rockstar is basically being able to have any outlandish request fulfilled and catered too and it’s this theme that Hargreaves focuses on in his fascinating new series ‘Band Riders’.
He’s looked at the backstage riders / requests from some of the biggest artists in the world, including the likes of Lady Gaga, Axl Rose, Foo Fighters & Prince and then beautifully re-created them in stunning and stylish detail. A rider is basically a clause in the contract between the band and promoter that stipulates certain items will be available backstage to the artists as part of their performance fee – these can vary from food & alcohol to condoms and candles. Generally speaking, the bigger the band the more extravagant the request. Certain artists can only drink certain brands, other musicians require daily injections. It puts it into context how bizarre and silly some of them seem, but when you are touring the world from one sold out arena to another, you’re probably entitled to a few perks aren’t you?
Head over to VICE to see the entire series.