Compact or mirrorless for gig photos

[DonUnder]

I'm looking to buy a smaller camera for taking gig shots at smaller venues as sneaking my 500D or 60D with hulking big zoom lens is becoming a bit impractical.

So, criteria would be:

Good low light/high ISO performance
Decent zoom range or lens options
Relatively unobtrusive/compact

I know next to nothing about the compact / mirrorless world so any pointers would be good.

[ricktas]

get a mirrorless with a decent sized sensor (better low light performance)

[Old Skool]

Sony Nex mirrorless have APS-C size crop sensors, same size as Nikon / Canon - rumourmill has it that full frame sensor is coming in Sony Nex series too later this year! Other mirrorless cameras have the smaller 4/3 sensor. I have Sony Nex 6 and it has pretty amazing low light performance with ISO3200 no issue at all. Camera has tilt rear LCD for overhead shots but also has EVF built in. I also have a Canon 7D but the Sony leaves it for dead for clean files at the same ISO's. I'm in the Trey Ratcliff camp and use my Sony Nex for most of my photography now as it is so small & light.

See comparison test here of Sony vs Canon 6D:
http://www.samdcruzphotography.com/general/canon-6d-vs-sony-nex-6-high-iso-noise-test-1600-3200

Sony kit lens that came with my camera are great IMO, 16-50 and 55-210. Camera with 16-50 is very small, 55-210 lens is longer but still nowhere as large as a 60D with zoom attached.
Worth putting this camera in your list to check out.
Review here:
http://www.photographyblog.com/reviews/sony_nex_6_review/

[DonUnder]

Thanks Russell. Great info there.

Some serious weighing up to do here. Thankfully I'm in no rush :)

[swifty]

Rather than rehash a lot of the info, I think you'll find a lot of useful information in this thread:
http://www.ausphotography.net.au/forum/showthread.php?121251-How-I-am-coming-to-like-bridge-cameras

In post #20 I've gone through and outlined most of the mirrorless (as well as other) options but I was answering the OP in that thread so you'll need to pick out the relevant bits.

But yea, in my biased opinion, I think mirrorless/CSCs will fit your criteria better than compacts. At least with current offerings.