EPK

Default Mode are an alt / noise / freak rock band from Wellington, New Zealand.

Unplug, free your mind, reclaim your attention, scroll life. Default Mode write loud, twitchy original songs to get your freak on.

Formed in 2024 from the ashes of The Yes Men, and At Risk Youth, Default Mode made their live debut at Valhalla in June 2026, opening the bill alongside Because Robots and Lazy Susan.

Recent recordings include the tracks Heart Attack, Closer, and Don’t Shoot the Messenger. Watch and listen on the music page.

Press photos: Lawrence Hodson.

Line-up

Four-piece: guitar/vocals, guitar, bass, drums.

Power

• 2 × 230V 10A circuits on stage (minimum).

Backline (provided by us unless agreed otherwise)

• Guitar amps × 2 (we bring our own heads and cabs)
• Bass rig (head + 4×10 cab)
• Drum kit: snare, kick, hats, stands, pedals — we bring our own cymbals, snare drum and breakables

Monitors

• 4 wedge monitors with at least 2 mixes (drums, vocals).

DI / mic list

Channel	Source	Mic/DI
1	Kick	D112 or similar
2	Snare	SM57
3–5	Toms (if mix allows)	421s
6	Overhead L	Pencil condenser
7	Overhead R	Pencil condenser
8	Bass	DI
9	Guitar 1	SM57 on cab
10	Guitar 2	SM57 on cab
11	Lead vocal	SM58 / e945
12	Backing vocal	SM58

Stage plot

Our stage plot and input list are linked at the top of this page (see “Downloads”). Drop the latest files into public/media/tech/ — stage-plot.pdf and input-list.pdf — and they appear here automatically.

“Shit! If i knew it was going to be *that* kinda party, i would've stuck my **** in the mashed potato!”

— The Beastie Boys