Midi files, synth sounds and laptop

[foolsfortune]

Hello all,

Our drummer has bought a laptop, downloaded a truckload of midi files and is shopping for a midi controller (he can actually play keys as well) and has asked me how to get up and running with using the midi files live with our band.

He wants to mute or delete all the tracks we don't need (drums, guitar, melody etc) and just use it for playing the filler tracks (keys, synths, bass since we're between bass players) and I'm not sure what to recommend.

I have a Roland JV-880 synth module, a Midiman 4x4, and a Roland TD-8 V-drums module so my idea was to feed a click to the TD-8 which just the drummer would hear and then send the other stuff to the JV-880 which would then go to the p.a. I also have Livesynth Pro and a few soundfonts.

With todays technology, I know there are likely better souding options out there. He and I played around with the synths that come packaged with Sonar and the "free" ones I got in Computer Music magazine, but they're not really what we need as this is a rock band rather than hip-hop or whatever.

Can you guys set me straight on some things to check out? We're playing rock as I said with a mix of old and new (Hinder, Audioslave, Velvet Revolver, Shinedown, Bon Jovi, Motley Crue, Warrant, Slaughter, Poison, Godsmack etc)

Thanks
Mike