Katy Perry’s Ticket Holds

Demands on artist riders typically range from relatively benign requests for a favorite brand of bottled water to the likes of Van Halen’s infamous “no brown M&Ms” clause.

But Katy Perry’s latest concert rider also apparently includes an interesting provision on ticket holds.

The document, which was recently obtained by The Smoking Gun, states Perry’s production company may request that a promoter “hold tickets for each performance, in quantities and in location as designated by the personal manager, for distribution to the public through ‘resellers.’

“Promoter expressly acknowledges and agrees that company shall be entitled to retain, for company’s sole account, such portion of the proceeds from sales made by resellers as company and resellers may agree, and promoter shall have no entitlement to any monies from such sales by resellers,” the rider says.

The practice of artists holding back tickets to sell on the secondary market isn’t unheard of, but specifics are usually kept quiet over fears of fan backlash.

A 2009 investigation by the Wall Street Journal found evidence that everyone from Neil Diamond to Britney Spears, Bon Jovi, Celine Dion, Van Halen and Elton John had moved tickets through secondary channels.