Prepare yourself to witness TBSM’s electrifying onstage energy as they share their pre-show secrets.
Forging a trail through Brisbane’s metalcore landscape, The Bulman Street Massive (TBSM) has evolved from rowdy teenage jammers of the mid-2000s into a professional powerhouse.
Championing the enduring spirit of modern metalcore, their sonic pilgrimage pays homage to the genre’s classic 2000s architects such as Parkway Drive, Killswitch Engage, and Bring Me The Horizon. Amidst a realm currently governed by global acts like Polaris and While She Sleeps, TBSM tirelessly refines their sound to remain contemporary.
The excitement builds as they prepare to unveil their sixth single, ‘Clout-9’, an electrifying track set to captivate listeners. Anchoring their energy in live performances, TBSM is gearing up for explosive shows at Faith Nightclub and the Old Bundy Tavern.
Expect nothing short of a high-octane performance, fueled by their commanding stage presence, skillfully synchronized lighting, and an unwavering connection with the audience.
But before the chaos of the stage, there’s a methodical process that TBSM follows to ensure their show is a seamless spectacle:
Getting ready for a show
The Bulman Street Massive is a local four piece metalcore band that has been working hard to create an exciting, huge, and heavy experience for fans within the Brisbane heavy music scene. In order to achieve this, the band goes through a few steps to make sure the fans get the best show possible.
Step 1 – The plan
Before picking up any instruments, the first thing we do is sit down and plan out the show. This process begins by working out a setlist that flows nicely and lends itself to the best experience for fans. Once the setlist is worked out, the next plan of attack is to start piecing together all the elements that make up the show.
Step 2 – Backing tracks
TBSM is primarily a metalcore band that consists of drums, bass, guitars and vocals that is complemented with synths, sound effects, and electronic elements that tie it all together. To achieve this in a live setting, the band piece together a backing track that blasts through the front of house under our live performance.
Step 3 – Pre-recorded bass
TBSM originally had a fifth member that played bass who has since moved on to bigger and better things. This presented a dilemma for the band, as we struggled to find a replacement. Initially the lead singer stepped in to fill that role, however he found that he couldn’t zone in and provide his best performance as a front man and vocalist on stage whilst behind a mic stand and bass guitar. Thus the idea came about for him to pre-record the bass guitar, and have it play alongside the backing tracks when the band performs live. This helped to free up a little bit of space for the band to move around and really work the crowd in small intimate venues!
Step 4 – Guitar rig setup
Our guitarists use a hybrid of real amps, and guitar FX processors. The main tone for the guitars comes from real guitar amps that are integrated into a Line-6 Helix using the 4-cable method and midi to add automated effects and guitar amp channel switching throughout the songs. This helps to keep the stage clear of pedal boards, and frees up the lads on guitar to focus on smashing out heavy riffs while engaging with the crowd.
Step 5 – Programming a light show
The final piece of the puzzle for a TBSM live show is the lights. Once all the musical elements of the live show are figured out, the band ties it all together by programming some FX lighting that syncs to the songs to create an even more exciting experience both for the band and for the fans.
Step 6 – Rehearsals
Once everything is put together and all the gear is checked, all that is left to do is rehearse! Whilst we do this, we adjust the mix of our in-ear monitors and fine tune our backing track and light show. At this stage we’re now ready to head out to the gig and put on the best show possible, and have a fun and exciting experience with our fans.
When is the next TBSM show?
We currently have a handful of shows lined up for the rest of 2023, with some more on the cards for 2024. To find out the latest info on upcoming shows, check out TBSM on Facebook & Instagram, or check out our website.
All photos: Gabbi Rankine Creative
