I’ve always said I’ll try anything once, but Zach Top’s green room snack is a hard sell for me to want to try even once…
Learning what your favorite artists feature on their tour riders is always interesting. From booze to Tums, you never know what they might request in their dressing rooms to get them in the headspace to perform. While there is the assumption that artists often ball out when submitting their tour riders, requesting top-shelf liquor or booze, thousands of dollars worth of food, or an oddly specific brand of water, most people would be surprised that’s often far from the case.
Of course, there are exceptions to everything. Throughout my time at Whiskey Riff, I’ve found that when we ask artists what’s on their rider, they often include a veggie tray, maybe some meats and cheeses, a normal amount of alcohol if they choose to drink before their set or have a celebratory cocktail afterward, and water.
A great example of a “normal,” and perhaps surprisingly simple rider is the list The Highwaymen famously requested from venues when they were on tour.
Mildly surprised by how much Caffeine Free Diet Coke the Highwaymen were drinking. pic.twitter.com/FeUECMvnBX
— Ken Jennings (@KenJennings) March 8, 2023
Coffee, fruit, some Diet Cokes… not exactly what you’d expect from country music’s biggest outlaws. Of course, their rowdy days were largely behind them at this point…
While this list is very beverage-heavy, some modern-day artists, like Zach Top, request food items in their green room so they can make one of their favorite snacks. However, the items needed for Zach Top to create his snack might be his greatest character flaw that we’ve uncovered.
In an interview last year with the Grand Ole Opry, Top answered a plethora of rapid-fire questions, but one that stood out to viewers was a concoction of ingredients he requests on his rider. So what are said ingredients? Deli ham, cream cheese, and asparagus.
Now, I am sure you might be wondering how these three ingredients fit together…well, dear readers, this is when we turn it over to Zach Top for the explanation.
“On my rider, I have ham, deli ham, creme cheese, and asparagus. Spread a little cream cheese on a piece of ham, put a couple of pieces of asparagus in there, roll it up, and eat it like a hot dog… fire.
It’s pickled asparagus you put in there, so it’s kind of the same vibe…yeah.”
It’s kind of the same vibe as what, Zach Top? You better not be meaning it’s the same vibe as a hot dog… straight to jail.
This is a combo that I’ve never heard of, nor would I ever think of on my own. And to be frank, I’m not sure if the asparagus being pickled makes this combo sound better or worse. If anyone has given this a go, please report back on how it tastes. Even as an adventurous eater, this combo does not sound like something I’m chomping at the bit to try.
One thing I know is for sure after hearing about ZT’s rider snack… his pee must always smell.
@zachtopontop @Zach Top you’re better than this, brother 🤦♂️ #zachtop #zachtopfan #countrymusic #fypシ゚viral ♬ original sound – Zachary Top Fan