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Bear in mind, there are any number of approaches. However, my favorite is to get a Macbook Pro with 4 gigs of RAM, and run Logic Pro off of it. Not only is Logic kickass for just about every possible application, it comes with Mainstage, which is an app specifically designed for live performance. It has audio processing and VSTs at the same time. Logic's built in plugs are also excellent. They include, but aren't limited to:
Dedicated Organ, EP, and Clav plugs
HUGE, powerful sampler
Equally powerful Analog Modeling synth and Acoustic Modeling synth
The most fun vocoder plug you'll ever use

Sorry if this sounds like a sales pitch, I'm just kinda a fanboy. =P

The other option is to get a Muse product of some sort. The Receptor 2 is nearly $2,000, but it's literally exactly what you're looking for. It's a 2U rack box capable of running several instrument and effect plugs at once, with audio & MIDI i/o. The Muse is your strongest/most portable option if you're looking for something standalone, but otherwise, I highly recommend Logic Pro/Mainstage.

The media is bullshit. Well established fact.

Not true. I've convinced several people that they're wrong about religion, and christians have been converting people for two thousand years. Atheism isn't belief and it's not religion, it's the acknowledgment that there's no NEED for religion and it's something you want nothing to do with.

Um, if white guys weren't voting for Obama, he wouldn't even be in the race. That's not racist, thats statistics.