Gigs & business
Load-in
Load-in is the window during which artists and crew may bring equipment into a venue, at a specified door and time. It exists because a building has one goods entrance and a schedule for everyone using it.
In practice
Ask for load-in time and door in the advance, and use it to see the booth while the room is still quiet.
Confirm three things: the time, the actual door — which is often not the public entrance and sometimes on a different street — and who will be there to let you in. If you are bringing anything beyond headphones and a stick, that window is the only easy way to get it in. And even with nothing to carry, arriving at load-in is the cheapest way to check the booth, meet the engineer and test your sticks in the actual players rather than discovering a problem in front of a room.
Time + door
What to confirm
Different street
Where the door often is
Test sticks
What the window is really for
Where these come from: Venue production practice, not a catalog figure. For what we can measure, see the message this belongs in.
Why it matters
For a DJ carrying a bag it usually means nothing. For anyone bringing controllers, a laptop stand, records or a live rig it means everything, because arriving outside the window can mean the door is locked and the person with the key is elsewhere.
It also determines whether you get to see the booth before you play. Load-in is the moment the room is quiet and the equipment is reachable, and that half hour is worth more than any amount of preparation done at home.
Frequently asked
Do DJs need to attend load-in?+
Not usually to carry anything, but it is the best half hour of the day for checking the booth, meeting the engineer and testing your sticks in the real players.
What if I arrive outside the load-in window?+
You may find the door locked and nobody available to open it. That is why the on-site contact number belongs in the advance alongside the time.
Is load-in the same as soundcheck?+
No. Load-in is getting equipment into the building; soundcheck is testing it once it is set up. They are usually scheduled one after the other.
Related terms
Advance
Advancing a show is the exchange of practical information between artist and promoter in the days before it — times, equipment, travel, contacts. The document that results is usually called an advance sheet or day sheet.
Soundcheck
A soundcheck is the time before doors to test your setup through the venue system — levels, monitoring, connections — so that nothing is discovered for the first time in front of a room.
Accreditation
Accreditation is the pass system controlling who may go where on a site — laminates, wristbands and colour codes, each granting a defined set of areas. It is issued on arrival against a list submitted in advance.
Artist liaison
An artist liaison looks after performers on the day: meeting you, getting you accredited, showing you where the stage is, handling the rider, and making sure you are in the right place at the right time.
Explore: DJ tech rider template · Soundcheck · Advance · All DJ terms