We like to keep up with what Avid are doing in the Live Sound area, their Venue system has revolutionized the market, being able to take studio DSP processing and apply it to the live sound, means acts have a shorter production cycle taking things live - if they started in Pro Tools.
Additionally the innivation of virtual sound check also runs through the entire ragne including the new (relatively) S3L compact live system. With HDX DSP at its core and a compact control surface, the footprint can be even smaller when touring with space/weight contraints.
Its not for the cheapskate though the system does start at around $18k but when compared to other hardware with simillar capabilities, its got a niche. Add to that you can run your show files from larger systems should you be downsized.
S3 control surface
Compact 16-fader surface, with six bankable layers
32 touch-sensitive encoders and high-resolution OLEDs
Multicolor Channel Control parameter section for fast mix adjustments