I think basically everyone who is against electronics is going to be doing that. Madison just happens to be the first to announce that they are looking for a synthesizer player. I am a Madison fan, and although I haven't soiled myself over this I was surprised. I thought they might not go this direction since they never jumped on the narration bandwagon. It's not the end of the world. I'm sure Madison will incorporate the synthesizer tastefully and sparingly.
Man, I thought I was well equipped on tour when I marched. I had clothes, drumsticks, a sleeping bag, a pillow, and a 1 inch foam pad to put under the sleeping bag. I even managed to pack a Buddy Rich practice pad in my suitcase....
I thought the reason for using pit amps was to allow the musicians to play with proper form instead of pounding the keys like before. This should have also allowed for a smaller pit. I would think that 6 or 7 people in the pit would be adequate these days. OK - add one more for the stupid synthesizers...