Your question is extremely fragmented and vague. I would suggest trying to think about what you wish to achieve  and clarifying what exactly you are looking for.

One of the main points you haven't touched on and needs to be considered before any suggestions on the hardware front can be made is your budget (new or secondhand ties in here.)

You seem to be in the main asking more about PA and sound reinforcement. For how many people? As you say "Using a  built in laptop speaker does not cut it if that makes sense "  that makes it seem you are only playing to yourself, or a very small group, rather than hundreds of people. Size of the audience is a huge factor when it comes to PA  kit. But you say compact, do you mean a portable mp3 speaker, or an active PA speaker, or...?? Does it need to be battery powered?

As you are talking backing tracks does that mean you will also need to mix microphones into the music (whatever its source)?? Have you got a audio console of any kind? If not a audio interface come mixing desk may be a good idea, especially if you want to record the sessions at times.

Then there is the question of what software. Just playing ready prepared backing tracks? Music you have written yourself and may want some live tweaking, looping, effects etc??

Please take a moment to think about what you are really trying to ask here.
From: Linux-audio-user <linux-audio-user-bounces@lists.linuxaudio.org> on behalf of Karen Lewellen <klewellen@shellworld.net>
Sent: 17 August 2018 01:57
To: audio users linux
Subject: [LAU] Live performance gear ideas?
 
Hi folks,
I almost put Linux in the subject line,  holding off because there may be
non-computer suggestions as well.
When I do a gig I much prefer live musicians.
However, once in a while I am in a setting where backing tracks prove most
productive.
What i find recently though is that trusting the playback abilities of a
location may be unwise indeed.
So...the question.
Ideas on simple as in compact tools,  stand alone units,  computerized or
not, that give me the means of performance playback.  Include  ideas for
amplification so sound carries too.
Using a  built in laptop speaker does not cut it if that makes sense
smiles.
I am in Canada with u. s. access.
Thanks,
Kare
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