5k as a liveset machine? Any thoughts from users?

I recently took a job from a pop/rock band to play with them live, triggering their backtracks, loops, effects and such.
Right now im struggeling with what equipment to use in what combination. Some stuff will work as backtracks, without any need to change the arangement live. But most of the elements will need to be punched in/out and altered as the concert goes on.

Ive worked with the mpc3k since many years back and it´s one of my main machines in my studio and i love the mpc workflow.
Now I´m thinking maybe the 5k could do the job for this live-performance, especially with the audio playback from disc-drive.

Any users out there have any experience or thoughts? Ive read the 5k manual just to get a grip of the workflow and
as I see it, the playback ("backtrack" as i would call it in a live-situation) from disc only works in song mode? Is that correct?
I would really need to have it working in regular sequence-play mode, so i can track-mute and jump sequences as I wish,
both with regular sample-programs and stream tracks from disc... But reading the manual it seems like you cannot combine the workflow of trackmute at the same time as streaming from disc since trackmute only works in sequence-mode, and streaming from disc only in song-mode.
Is there any work-around for this? Have Akai actually thought this out?

Of course, everything can be loaded in memory, but i am quite sure that this live-performance most defenetly requires much
more internal memory then available in an mpc at this date.

As I see it, the only thing that makes the 5000 a more suitable live-set machine than the smaller models are (disregarding playing everything in song mode) : more controlls, bigger screen, more outputs.... Thats it ?

Anybody have any experience/feedback?

well, I've been using the mpc2k for live gigs for the past four years. Since the internal memory was so small I had to alternate the sequences with serato to be able to do the whole gig without stopping. I bought the 5K and upgraded the memory and now have all my sequences and the show has become more versaile because y can play any track I want at any time.
What I did was re sequence everything on the sampler, sound by sound so each sample would take up the least amount of space.
You can only use the HD playback in song mode which is a pain, I work with seq mode and having to switch from one to another is a pain. I don't know if you can modify the sequences (Mute tracks, etc) while you're in song mode. Have to research a little more. I'll tell you as soon as I find out
cheer

Check out this topic, we've been talking a bit about the subject
viewtopic.php?f=29&t=99951&p=900152#p900152
cheers

It all depends on how hands-on you want/need to be?

I'm a DJ so I would consider mixing everything live from a CDJ as memory isn't a problem, instant play is easy (as well as tempo adjustments) and I can also perform realtime track mutes with a mixer if needed. That's obviously not much help if you need control of every track in a mix, but it is a viable alternative if you are merely in the background triggering samples and sequences.

Alternatively I would look at a decent laptop and controller, as you will have full control and a big screen to help you out in those smokey clubs!

That's completley true, with ableton live and an AKAI MPD32 you have more than enough to trigger any sample and sequence you might need, appart from the fact ob being able to mute, solo or do anything you can imagine