If you play a lot of shows and do your own sound, you know how difficult it can be to sound consistent from show to show. Every venue is different: different layout, different acoustics, different sound reinforcement equipment. If you’re forced to use the venue’s sound equipment, your best bet is to bring along a sound man who is familiar with your sound who can dial you in as quickly and efficiently as possible.
If you have the option of bringing your own live sound equipment, however, a digital mixer can be a godsend. All of them have the ability to save and recall presets. This means that you can save your “ideal” setup for your band, and maybe a few variations — a preset for larger venues, smaller venues, more “live” sounding venues, duller sounding venues, and so on. This way, as soon as you set up and recall the correct preset, you’re already on your way, and can just tweak to suit the specific venue. You’ll be able to get better results, faster, by bringing your own digital mixer. There are digital mixers for every size of group and venue, so if you play enough shows in different venues, it’s worth finding the one right for you.
Don’t forget, as you finish each gig in a new venue, save a preset with your settings. Then if/when you play that venue again, you’ll be ready to roll.