The last time I saw "Gravity", they played outside as a roving band without so much as a PA to talk over. I was really close (maybe 10 feet) and could feel those really low notes with my skin!
I can understand your issue with the current state of "live" sound though. It's certainly a double edged sword.
On the one hand, the sound is limited by the quality of the gear/set up and you're at the mercy of the person at the soundboard (and sometimes the musicians demands).
On the other hand, you are "stuck" with the sound of the venue and the musicians who are very often used to singing and/or playing through gear that evens out the levels and dynamics.
Luckily, there are some venues where the owners have a good sense of what they want the place to sound like and go through the expense of having a pro go through and treat the enclosure and install an excellent sound system.
If there ever was a "target audience" for high end audio, the owners of the worlds live music venues should be it!
