I don't usually work outside the studio unless I'm recording live music, but I recently put together a sound system for a live event and it was a learning experience.

The venue was outdoors in a covered amphitheater. There was the main artist doing spoken word with musicians backing up. I had the mains and 2 monitor channels. Because there was a high roof and all that open air, I could run the monitors pretty loud with no feedback.

The artist loved it and had some of their best performances. The headliner didn't want to leave and spent a good deal of time telling stories and entertaining the audience after the main show. With such good monitoring they were able to perform better than ever.

If you can't hear yourself well, you will over-sing and shred your voice. That leads to a performance that's less than it could be, and a shorter career overall. So get good monitoring!

In ears is great, but a wedge works too. Even a hot spot, which is a small speaker on a mic stand, is better than nothing.

Monitor better and your performance will be better. Your voice will last longer and you'll be a happier performer.