No, it's just the normal routines that cops used to use to to generate arrests and recruit informants. You don't think that local law enforcement is all Mr. and Mrs. Goody Two Shoes, do ya??? If you do and you work in bands playing the local bar scene, you will lose your innocence.
These activities were banned by federal law in September 1990. The only circumstances that such activities can continue now is through the use of a federal law and it requires a hearing in which the local prosecutor(s) put their law license(s) up as "collateral" along with lengthy prison sentences for themselves if they are wrong. Especially if the allegations are made against U.S. Government Employee with a security clearance. The civil damages for them being wrong will rock most state budgets and cause substantial tax increases. And all that money goes to the person they had under investigation. The law is an outgrowth of the continuing effort by the federal government to force oversight to ensure compliance with the Constitution and Bill of Rights by local law enforcement and local district attorney general's office. One such previous attempt bankrupted the city of New York. In my city, the Memphis Police Department has more ex-police officers under federal felony charges or serving time for armed robbery and extortion of drug dealers, illegal drug trafficking, and prostitution than any other police department in the nation. We are talking about hundreds of pounds of cocaine and marijuana stolen from the property room and just about anything else under the sun. I just love being an ex-U.S Government Employee with a security clearance with a late father who also held a secret or top secret security clearance and a diplomatic passport for most of my younger years.

Maybe back in the 20s or 30s but not anytime lately.

No unfortunately, at least in my case, as late as the 1990's and to a lesser extent, today. In 1989, I was working with a guitarist who was given a joint by an undercover cop to try to get me to smoke it with him to cause a positive drug test fail at my employer in an attempt to derail my engineering career and pending federal employment after I graduated from college. This and several other incidents generated a reasonable probable cause for an investigation for providing false and/or misleading information to a federal government entity in regards to a security clearance. It is my understanding that they (TVA and the FBI) had enough evidence to disbar and/or indict one prosecutor and one team of undercover officers even b4 I left the agency and they were hunting for more. It is my understanding that the Shelby County District Attorney General had to make the appearance in federal court to formally request the delay of the disbarrment of one of his prosecutors. My fellow engineers at TVA didn't take kindly to being threatened by local law enforcement for refusing to harass me to make me leave the agency. In short, they burned them so badly that it is not a matter of if local law enforcement will do jail time, but how long.

I would also like to say that I am suprised that no one suggested that anyone should consult with local law enforcement about the match striker. They generally will intercede to stop such behavior even if you don't want to press charges. Great PR, less paperwork. And all bars in Tennessee are required to immediately report any fights and destructive behavior, so you really have no choice.

Sounds like you had a bit of a bad experience; it happens.  Trust me, I not only spent the last 8 years working political and police corruption, I lived it as a victim as well.  But none of that really has any relevance.  I'm just saying don't put yourself in a bad spot over a cymbal.

The government I have seen in recent years is about LESS of the Constitution and Bill of Rights. It's withering away.

Not sure exactly what this has to do with striking a match on a cymbal.

I've been playing in a variety of bands in LA for 21 years and have never found myself in a situation with informants.

uhhh...

back away from the topic, slowly...

I've been gigging for over 30 years, from San Francisco to NYC.  Most of the last 20 years I have been in Houston.  I have seen and heard of plenty of drunk and stoned musicians getting arrested.  I have been on the receiving end of it. 

I have never, before now, heard of the activities of which you are speaking.  I am not saying it has never happened.

I think the best defense, in any case, is not to carry drugs around with you and not to get drunk at gigs.  Society at large would probably view this as a good thing, as well.

Setup or not, trying to break someone else's finger is assault.

So are there secret agents following you around everywhere, trying to trip you up so they can pin something on you? Some secret agency must have figured out that you are an important threat to a top-secret program of theirs.

I'd recommend a foil hat.

I've let venue management know about trouble-makers in the past. They get rid of them, because they don't really want the police there.