We run a full IEM mix... and I'm totally happy to let the venue mic the drums. We have 16 splits- and our IEM mix only uses OHs/Kick/Snare for the drums. So this is still totally doable without 'taking the time to mic his own stuff'. As far as spending the money - our drummer uses a wired behringer P1 wired pack. IIRC they're around 100 bucks. (maybe 150?). Compared to the thousand-dollars-a-man wireless, it's nuthin'.
We use an X32 as our monitor mixer. 16 channels in, and the aux outs are our monitors. Each band member gets their own stereo mix (there are 3 of us)... and we also have a stage mix available should the FOH guy decide to let us patch the floor wedges in for sidefill.
Good info. I should point out (for V8Guitar) that its not that our drummer doesnt want to mic his drums (they are mic'd every gig)...HE doesnt want to run the mics himself. The sound guy at the bar does it. So his beef is why should he now have to spend time throwing mics and running cables on his stuff for something he doesnt really want. Makes sense.
So Mollydyer, I dont understand what you mean by "we have 16 splits". If I understand you right...your saying that the rest of you run your own mics/cables into your own mixer (snake) and run them into your EIM from your mixer, but the sound guy sets up all the drum mics and then just gives drum signal back to you in a feed from the FOH? Thats kind of what I'm hoping we can do. That way we can also get by with just a 16 channel board. (Behringer XR18?)