BIO

Hailing from Whangārei, Northland, Mermaid Bait began in 2014 as a humble three-piece with a shared love of music and storytelling. By 2020 we’d grown into a six-piece and released our self-recorded debut album, Songs in the Key of Brown.

Today we’re a 10 to 12-piece band with a marching band flair. Our EP, Mermaid Bait & the Brass Monkey, gave us singles like “Fluffer”. Now we’re gearing up for our next album, Songs from the Hātea, out in May 2027. “Out of the Ether” is the first of three singles leading the way.

Our music is an eclectic mix of genres, and so is our line-up. We bring brass, sax, violin, guitars, bass, ukulele, melodica, percussion and two drums. Expect seafaring tales, quirky lyrics and songs written with and for our friends. With that much rhythm on stage, it’s hard to stand still.

Meet Sweetpea (pictured below), our dinghy. She looks great, and she also carries all our amps and speakers, so our sound is completely mobile and wireless.

At home, you’ll find us playing regularly at The Woodshed on the Hātea Loop. Further afield, we’re a favourite on the Aotearoa festival circuit. Highlights include Shipwrecked in 2004. & 2025, then Splore and the Auckland Wooden Boat Festival in 2026, alongside shows at Brew of Islands and more. In 2022 we won the “All the World is a Stage” award at the Whangārei Fringe Festival for our Elevator Tour, and we’re still looking for unusual places to play.

Wherever the music and the sea take us next, we’ll bring the whole band.