Hoop

Hoop are a five-piece indie folk band from Tāmaki Makaurau, weaving together lush harmonies, emotive instrumentation, and genre-blending songwriting to deliver music that feeds the soul.

Hoop combines the singer/song writing talents of Nick Edgar (vocals, flute, guitar, harmonica) and Al Baxter (vocals, guitar, banjo, mandolin, harmonica) with the soaring string arrangements of Emily Allen (violin, viola) and the tight, earthy rhythm section of Rusty Knox (drums, percussion) and Glenn Coldham (bass).

The result is a rich and varied repertoire influenced by everything from Celtic traditions to Americana.

Hoop are well-known as the curators behind Auckland’s Ministry of Folk – a recurring event that transforms a historic 1800’s church hall into a cabaret-style venue for intimate performances by acoustic artists.

As performers, Hoop bring years of shared musical history to the stage, including previous collaborations in the 12-piece folk-funk collective The Wonderfish Collective, and side projects like The Mollymawks (Al & Emily’s folk duo) and The Helium Project (Nick’s ambient electronic ensemble).

Their discography includes the EPs Oblivion, As Good As It Gets, and This Year.

Their forthcoming mini-album Wrap Me Up in Winter (out November 2025) promises another heartfelt journey through themes of life, love, loss, lockdown, and the occasional social or political reflection.

With storytelling at its heart, Hoop craft intimate, soul-stirring music that resonates deeply – whether on stage, in a hall, or through your headphones.