Re: Mixing side of stage. How DO you deal with it?
For me, I find the prep work I do before downbeat plays a big role. Given that I do a lot of wedding work, there are times where they have the dreaded "ceremony and reception in the same room," which gives me under an hour to go from zero to ready to go for a seven-piece band. Those are always tricky because I feel like I have to spend time correcting for things that would have been set if I had had enough time to really get some tuning time in. If I know that several of my go-to tracks sound right on my system, mixing side stage becomes a bit easier.
I've met a few people that claim they can tell how things sound out front while next to the stage via reflections, but frankly, I don't buy it. You can get some clues as to balance from headphones, but at the end of the day, I don't think there's much of a substitute for being in front of the speakers. Being able to mix on a tablet is a godsend if you can afford it, but otherwise, just be prepared to take many walks. Also, be sure to stand out there for a minute or two once in a while. I've found that when I'm doing the "back and forth," sometimes I'm not out there long enough to get a good sense of what it sounds like.
