The Complete Guide to Event Equipment Dry Hire

Dry hire is the rental of production equipment without an operator or crew. You take the kit. Your team runs it. The hire company provides tested, maintained equipment and the logistics to get it to you and back. Everything else is on you.

This is the opposite of a full production booking, where the production company supplies equipment and the crew to install, operate and de-rig it. In a full production, you brief an outcome. In dry hire, you specify a kit list and your own team delivers the outcome.

Some dry hire bookings sit in between. A production company might use dry hire to supplement its own inventory for a specific event, combining their own crew with additional hired kit. That is a common and legitimate use of dry hire. It is not the same as a first-time event organiser hiring a PA system without knowing who will set it up.

Audio

PA systems ranging from compact self-powered rigs suitable for 50-person events through to professional line array systems for audiences of 1,000 or more. Digital mixing consoles, stage monitoring, radio microphone systems and the associated multicore, stage boxes and amplification. Most professional audio dry hire requires the operator to demonstrate familiarity with the specific console model or system type at collection.

Lighting

Moving heads, LED wash and par fixtures, effect lights, follow spots, dimmer racks and lighting consoles. Lighting dry hire is commonly used by production companies that own a basic rig but need additional fixtures for events with a higher spec requirement. Console training at collection is available for operators unfamiliar with a specific platform.

Video and LED

LED video wall panels in various pixel pitches, projection systems, video switching and presentation equipment. LED panel dry hire requires a qualified LED operator who understands the specific processing system being used. This is the most technically demanding category and the one where under-specified operators create the most problems.

Staging and structures

Modular stage decking, trussing systems, ground-support structures. Structural equipment requires a competent person responsible for the installation. For anything involving overhead rigging, that means a qualified rigger. Structural staging must be installed by someone who can assess load limits and anchor points correctly.

Dry hire works when the person making the booking has the technical competence to specify correctly, the crew to install and operate safely, and the contingency plan for when something goes wrong on site.

It works particularly well for:

• Production companies supplementing their own inventory for a larger-than-usual event
• Freelance technical directors who regularly hire kit to complement their own equipment
• In-house AV teams at organisations with regular events who have a permanent operator but limited owned inventory
• Companies that own audio or lighting but need specific specialist items they do not carry

Dry hire is not the right model when:

• The person booking is not confident about which specific items to take
• No one in the team has operated the category of equipment being hired before
• The event cannot tolerate a significant technical problem that requires external support to resolve
• The venue has restrictions or requirements that an unfamiliar crew might not handle correctly

Getting the specification right before you book saves complications on collection day and on site. The most common problems in dry hire bookings come from under-specifying (not enough kit) or mis-specifying (wrong kit for the application).

For audio

Know your audience size and room type. Line array systems behave differently in a tented outdoor space than in a carpeted hotel ballroom. Specify the console you want to operate, not just a "digital console". Confirm whether you need a FOH position, a monitor position, or both, and factor in the stage box multicore run.

For lighting

Know your power availability at the venue. A large moving head rig can draw 60 to 100 amps or more. Confirm what the venue can supply before you specify how many fixtures to take. State which console you are familiar with. Confirm whether the hire company can provide pre-programmed shows on specific consoles or whether all programming is your responsibility.

For LED video wall

Specify pixel pitch against your nearest viewing distance. Closer audiences need finer pitch. Know the content resolution and frame rate requirements for your playback system. Confirm who is responsible for the processing setup. LED video wall systems require a qualified operator who understands the specific processor being used, not just someone who has used LED panels before.

For staging

Know your venue floor type and any restrictions on anchoring. Confirm your stage footprint, height and access requirements. If the event requires a stage with overhead trussing, confirm rigging points and load limits with the venue before you book. Do not assume the venue has confirmed this if you have not seen it in writing.

Dry hire bookings typically follow a straightforward process, but the details at each stage matter.

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  Enquiry and availability. Submit your kit list with event dates. The hire company confirms availability and identifies any items that need substitution or clarification. For complex lists, expect a short back-and-forth before the quote is finalised.
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  Quote and deposit. A formal quote is sent with deposit terms. Standard dry hire deposits are 25 to 50 percent of the hire value, confirmed against a credit card for damage cover. Read the damage liability terms before you sign.
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  Pre-collection prep. All kit is tested, packed and ready for collection on the agreed date. Larger items require a van or truck. Confirm vehicle requirements when you book, not on collection day.
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  Collection and sign-off. On collection, you walk through the kit list with the hire team. Any substitutions or missing items are flagged at this point. You sign a departure condition report. Keep your copy.
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  Return and inspection. On return, the kit is checked against the departure report. Damage identified at this stage is charged against the deposit or credit card per the terms of the booking.

Power is the constraint most often under-considered on dry hire bookings. Knowing what your kit draws, what the venue supplies, and how to bridge the gap is an essential part of pre-production.

As a rough guide: a compact PA system for 200 people might draw 15 to 25 amps single phase. A large line array system with subwoofers for 500 to 1,000 people will draw 60 to 100 amps three phase. A moderate moving head lighting rig might draw 40 to 60 amps. An LED video wall installation will vary significantly with size and pixel pitch, but budget 5 to 10 amps per square metre as a starting point.

Most venues have a technical specification document that lists available power supply points. Request it. If the venue does not have one, ask the venue manager directly. Do not arrive on site without knowing your power supply.

If the venue cannot supply enough power for your rig, silent generator hire is the solution. This is a separate booking with a separate supplier. Factor the lead time into your planning.

Dry hire is self-supported. The hire company is not on site. Your team is responsible for the installation, operation and de-rig.

What you can expect: a phone number for technical queries, and a genuine attempt to help you resolve problems remotely. If a piece of kit behaves unexpectedly, most hire companies will walk you through a diagnostic over the phone. If the problem turns out to be a kit fault rather than an operator issue, they will work with you to find a resolution.

What you should not rely on: same-day replacement of complex items in remote locations. If a digital console fails during load-in in a venue two hours from the hire depot, the window to get a replacement console on site before show time is very narrow. Experienced operators carry a plan B. Know before you arrive what your fallback is for each critical piece of kit.

If you reach a point on site where you need crew support, call the hire company. A crewed uplift on an existing dry hire booking is possible in many cases, but it requires availability and it has a cost. It is much better to make that call at load-in than halfway through the show.

Kit returned clean, in the same condition it was collected, and within the agreed return window is a smooth process. The industry standard is that consumables (gel, tape, batteries) are charged back at cost. Damage is assessed against the departure condition report.

Common damage charges in dry hire cover cracked LED panels, damaged speaker grilles, connector pins bent or broken through incorrect force, and condensation damage from kit left outside without cover. Most of these are avoidable with good site practice.

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  Pack kit in the same flight cases and packaging it arrived in. Items returned loose or in incorrect cases will be charged for repackaging.
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  Do not leave equipment outside uncovered overnight. Condensation inside audio and electronic equipment is a write-off in most cases.
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  Check connectors before applying force. A connector that will not seat easily is either the wrong connector or being forced at the wrong angle. Bending pins by forcing a mismatched connector is the most common avoidable damage charge.
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  Return kit within the agreed window. Late returns on dry hire may result in additional day charges, particularly if the equipment is booked for another event on the same or following day.