Bass DI, miked cabinet, or both for small live shows?

There are three common approaches to bass at a small show: DI only, cabinet microphone only, or a blend. DI is predictable and keeps low end clean, but it can miss the character of an amp being pushed. A microphone captures that character but also picks up stage spill and changes dramatically with placement.

A blended signal can be excellent when the system and engineer can manage phase and gain properly. In less controlled venues I tend to favour a solid pre-EQ DI and use the amplifier mainly as stage monitoring. That gives front of house a dependable foundation while the player still gets the feel of an amp.

Which approach has been most reliable for you, particularly on shared bills where setup time is short?