Music Stage Plot Checklist: What a Small Band Should Send a Venue

Start with the document header

Put the artist or band name at the top of the stage plot, along with the show date or a clear version date. Add the production contact who can answer technical questions, plus a phone number and email that will still work on show day.

If the band keeps several versions, name the use plainly. A club setup, festival setup, fly date, and full production plot may all be useful, but a venue should never have to guess which file is current. A filename such as band-stage-plot-v3-2026-09-21.pdf is easier to identify than final-final.pdf.

Draw the stage from the right perspective

Show the stage as the audience sees it. Mark downstage at the front and upstage at the back, then label stage left and stage right consistently. A small orientation arrow prevents a surprising amount of confusion during an advance.

Include the usable stage width and depth when you know them. Mark risers, stairs, fixed posts, thrusts, drum platforms, or other obstacles that could change the layout. If the venue has not confirmed its dimensions, label the plot as a preferred setup and ask for the actual measurements before promising that everything fits.

Leave clear paths for performers and crew. A plot that technically fits every case but blocks a stair, cable lane, or egress route is not ready to send.

Place every performer and source

Give every musician a named or role-based position. Label vocals, guitars, bass, keys, drums, playback, percussion, and any secondary instrument that affects a microphone, DI, monitor, or power drop. A substitute engineer should be able to read the plot without knowing the band personally.

Show amplifiers, pedalboards, keyboards, stands, stools, risers, and playback tables where they actually sit. Note which pieces are artist-supplied and which pieces are requested from the venue. Use words in a legend rather than relying on color alone, because the file may be printed in black and white.

If the lineup changes between shows, update the plot instead of asking the venue to remember a verbal correction. The picture should describe the actual performance, not the band as it looked last season.

Match the input list

For each audio source, show the microphone or DI connection that the engineer should expect. Mark vocal microphones, amp microphones, acoustic guitar DIs, bass inputs, keyboard channels, playback outputs, and any stereo pairs. If a source needs phantom power, a special stand, or an artist-provided microphone, put that note in the input list or technical rider as well.

Count the inputs and compare the count with the plot. A stereo keyboard should not become one channel by accident. A playback rig should not appear as two outputs in one document and four outputs in another. Consistent names make patching faster and reduce questions at load-in.

The stage plot is a picture, not a replacement for the input list. Send both when the show needs detailed channel information.

Mark monitors and communication

Place every wedge, in-ear position, side fill, or personal monitor station. Give each mix a number or name and use the same identifier in the monitor notes. State the few sources that are essential for each mix, such as lead vocal, click, talkback, or a cue instrument.

If the band uses a talkback microphone, click, guide track, timecode, or production communication line, show where it lives and whether it should reach the audience. Clarify which wireless receivers, instrument racks, antenna locations, and charging points occupy the stage or side stage.

Monitor requests should be specific but realistic. A venue can respond to a clear request more easily than to a sentence that simply says the band needs lots of vocal.

Check power, dimensions, and safety

Note unusual power needs, keyboard or playback locations, pedalboard positions, and any device that must be near a dedicated outlet. Do not assume that a stage has a power drop exactly where the ideal plot places an amplifier.

Ask about stage dimensions, riser height, load-in access, stairs, backline, and supplied equipment before the show. If the band setup changes for a narrow stage, make a venue-specific version rather than forcing the full layout into a smaller box.

Keep walkways clear and avoid drawing equipment in front of exits, fire lanes, or crew access. The plot should help the venue prepare a safe working space, not only a neat picture.

Run the pre-send checklist

Before exporting, confirm the artist name, current lineup, show date, revision date, stage orientation, and production contact. Count performers, microphones, DIs, monitors, risers, power needs, and playback outputs. Match every count to the input list and technical rider.

Open the exported PDF on a laptop and check it at normal size. Print-preview it if the venue may use paper. Labels should be legible, symbols should have a legend, and no important detail should depend on a color that disappears in grayscale.

Send the current file early, then ask the booker, promoter, or production manager to confirm receipt and flag venue-specific changes. Save the approved version offline on a phone for load-in.

A stage plot does its job when the crew can prepare before the band arrives. Clear labels, honest dimensions, matched channel information, and a visible revision date turn a simple diagram into a useful production handoff.