DMcCunney--I have Mobi reader installed on my PDA in case there is content I want to read that is only in Mobi format. With the variety of platforms a reader exists for, Mobi is now the default standard ebook format. I don't bother with it on the desktop because I don't need it, but I have the resources if required.
Yeah, well once upon a time, they said gemstar's imp format would be the default standard. I voted with my $$'s and refused to buy their proprietary reader or buy their ebook files. Adobe stated they would be the default format and out of all the ebooks i've bought in over 2 years, over 50 efiles, only 1 is in adobe format, and the rest are Microsoft lit files. I bought the adobe file because i couldn't get that certain book in a more open format like LIT and there was no physical book for it. Guess that shows that if people vote with their $$$'s, then the publishers can't just push their harsh DRM formats on us.
They got out on the road and played before. But when you are a multi-platinum act that fills stadiums, going out of the road isn't a snap "Let's go play" decision. It's an enormous undertaking.
yeah, i guess that's why i heard on npr.org that they're touring so much now that they're running smack into other stars. I guess they're really pushing those wheelchairs.
What you describe is a lot more common for country musicians.
Not at all. Even big rock stars like Prince understand and respect their fans and do tours without the need to sell cd's e.g. planet earth albums he gave away to promote his tours.
Where does that leave stuff created specifically for recordings? I have stuff in my collection I'm extravagantly fond of that I doubt could be done live, and wasn't meant to be. It was designed for headphones and appropriate enhancement. 
I don't know about you, but i find "enhanced" music to be a bit sterile.
What you want would effectively perpetuate what we have now, because you'd pretty much have to be signed by a major publisher to attract the ads.
You could sort of form a "consortium" of small publishers as someone suggested in order to leverage yourselves. But I'll be honest and say that i'm ignorant of the small publishing business market.