DaytonaRik

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There are times when I wish gigs could be that simple but when you have IEMs involved then you really have no option but to mic/DI backline, which is the biggest PITA of the whole process! From there you may was well keep the backline down and go for your monitoring option of choice

I can't think of an occasion where band members don't want guitars in the monitor mix (at least their own) except when the backline is used as a monitor, and then the whole on stage and FoH mix gets out of control quickly with the almost invariable 'volume wars' of volume nudging! I completely get the 'jack of all trades' thing - I play bass, sing backing vocals and run lights with my feet as well as running FoH sound and adjusting monitor levels for various band members etc. with both an XR18 and X32 when we have a bigger space. An iPad attached to a mic stand makes sure that I always have the 'desk' to hand, but even then, changes are kept to between songs rather than mid-song.

In what way is this a 'faff'? Is there a genuine reason why other than the backline being used as a monitor? Our guitarists use smaller lunchbox amps in the 10-15w output range and keep the backline levels down, relying on the monitoring without swamping the FoH mix.

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Yes, but as @BigRedXsay, not with blue tooth. I've used a UHF wireless system into a bass head, run the DI into my X32 Rack desk and then taken the output feeds into my UHF IEM system with no noticeable latency. I have previously tried using BLE headphones as an output from my iMac as an experiment and it was just horrible - impossible really.

Sennheiser EW100 G4 - it works, it keeps working, no issues/drop outs/problems/anything - just a solid, reliable wireless solution

I found this video a while ago and sums up why these mixers are just so damned good!!!

I played for 3 years or so in a Thin Lizzy tribute band - and I really don't like them that much at all! I think I liked 5-6 tracks max - the rest I hammed it up, did the front man thing and went home with money!!!

And not because a guitard wants to have a 100w Marshall/Les Paul fuelled w**k-fest in front of the bar staff and 6 people who got there early!!!!

Sounds like a disaster waiting happen!!! I've always found that the best approach was start at the back and move forwards - kit and any upstage lighting, backline, PA/front lighting, pedal boards then wedges and vocal mics. You may decide to put the PA in place if you're waiting for something else but we always leave downstage stuff until the backline, kit and upstage lights are placed. It just avoids accidents. Reverse the process to strike the stage and always, always, ALWAYS leave guitars in cases until they're absolutely needed.

I always go with black extensions and 13amp power cables - white extension cables/sockets do my fruit in! With audio leads I'm in two minds...part of me says keep it discreet and hidden - the other parts says that everyone know's you have cables so don't worry about it.

Definitely good call re different colour for inputs and outputs - I think I'll get 100m of a different colour for monitor/speaker feeds 👍🏻

A few years ago we did have a powered mixer die on us - fortunately the guitarist had a similar mixer very close by so since then I've always carried a spare and gone down the active cab route. If we lose a sub then so be it, but if we lost a top then a powered wedge could be pressed into service, and on a spare iPad (in case of the failure of the one running the desk) I have a copy of Positive Grid's Bias FX guitar amp sim so could even push that into use as a guitar amp if needs be. I'm a big fan of redundancy when it comes to fault tolerance! Sods law will rear its head if you don't have a spare of something...better to carry a micro head, small format mixer etc and not need it than have one fail and the spare be at home. Similarly I'll always take 2 basses to a gig - it takes 5 secs to swap a bass out if a string breaks or worse happens rather than stop the gig, retrieve case from wherever it is, find strings, string up, stretch/tune up etc. Maybe it's coming from a guitar background with Floyd Rose locking vibratos!

Not given the size of the modern digital mixers. We take an X32 rack with an XR18 as a backup,

Everyone's kit/backline is their own responsibility but I take care of the lighting/PA for the band and the associated transport, upkeep and sadly outlay of said PA!

Does anyone else carry a spare mixer?

It would be complete and utter perfection!

With all potentially visible extension cables and power leads being black to avoid being obvious should the odd cable or extension creep into the line of sight of said punters!

All of my cables are marked with a different colour tie-wrap indicating the length in meters and are velco tied, and are bright yellow because that way I can see where they've been abandoned!

I also play guitar and sing, and I'm currently learning to play the drums...where are you based?

Thanks @uk_lefty I do it because I basically don't trust anyone else to do it and get it right!!!!!

Own the entire PA - every single component from each lowly but essential 13amp power lead and mic cable to the subs except for one SM58 mic that belongs to one of the guitarists for b/vs. Own the small but functional and very portable lighting setup. Operate 1 & 2 the above. Carry 1 & 2 above in a van bought solely for that purposes. Load and unload 1 & 2 above in and out of 4 above on my own, despite one of the guitarists living approx 400m from me!!! Go through the cable and power trunks the day after a gig putting everything back as it should be! Sort out the shared diary, including reminding everyone to fill it in after someone says they're busy on a night that is plainly free in the diary. Sort out rehearsals inc locating and visiting new rooms due to band member changes. Select material and set lists. Sort out the gigs, including visiting venues in person to look for new gigs, posters etc Record, mix and produce multi tracks from gigs and rehearsal for appraisals and use in social media. Keep social media up to date, including advertising gigs on regional and venue pages. Brilliant? I'm f**king amazing!!!!

About three? I think I can add a zero on the end of that one! I rehearse with a wireless setup too - I'm just not happy being 'tethered' to anything!!!

A couple of years ago I bit the bullet and funded the entire PA inc a van to carry it all. I figured that a) it would save arguments b) I could get what I liked c) if they didn't like it they could lump it d) I could earn a few pennines wet hiring for small venues. Luckily by making sure I bought a desk capable of handling as many channels as we could ever need (X32 Rack plus an SD8 and SD16 digital stage boxes) along with plenty of wedges everyone has a monitor mix they like. One guitarist regularly asks me to turn his monitor down! 😉