The Hula Monsters have been performing in the Mid Atlantic area since 1988. Originally formed as a trio with Dave Giegerich on steel guitar and dobro, Moe Nelson on bass, and Tom Mitchell on guitar, the group has grown to a quintet with the addition of Ben Holmes on drums and Mark Noone on guitar and ukulele. When Tom Mitchell's national touring with Dan Hicks increased to a heavy schedule, Dave Chappell joined the band on lead guitar. Gary Ferguson joined the band in 2005 as lead guitarist. All five members sing.

The Hula Monsters can be described as a swing band with a Hawaiian flavor. Their repertoire includes Hawaiian, rockabilly, blues, country and jazz standards - all with the Hula Monster Hawaiian accent. They are a band of accomplished, seasoned professional musicians and are experienced playing in a wide variety of situations. As the type of events and venues the group plays varies widely, the performance repertoire is often tailored to a particular theme. At weddings the band often plays a first set of instrumental jazz standards, while at a luau they would play mostly Hawaiian music. They have done many western-themed events where they play western swing & traditional country exclusively. At the many Swing dances held throughout the Washington/ Baltimore area they tailor their sets to the dancers. In a concert, festival or music club setting, the band will draw from their vast repertoire to really mix it up! Based in the Washington/ Baltimore area, they¹ve played from upstate New York to the Carolinas and Tennessee. It may be difficult to categorize their music, but the common thread is fun!

The Hula Monsters' performance venue diversity includes appearances at the Birchmere (Alexandria), Rams Head Tavern (Annapolis), IOTA (Arlington), and The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (Washington, DC), along with many other club appearances. A growing list of festivals includes the "Fox Winterhawk Festival" in New York, "Taste of DC" in Washington, D.C., "and the Caroline Summerfest" in Denton, Maryland. They have also maintained a heavy schedule of performances at weddings, corporate events, national conventions, fund raisers, and private parties. They were the January 2000 "Artists-In-Residence" at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The extensive list of acts that the members of the group have performed with and/or recorded with includes Bill Kirchen, Dan Hicks, Cracker, Jerry Lee Lewis, Percy Sledge, Danny Gatton, Bill Harrell, The Slickee Boys, Kevin Johnson, Pam Tillis, Charlie Feathers, The Grandsons, Queen Ida, Johnny Gimble, Nappy Brown, Greg Kihn, Tracy Schwartz, Jethro Burns, Marvin Hamlisch, Mitch Woods, Out Behind The Barn, Billy Kemp, Billy Hancock, Ruthie and The Wranglers, Al Rapone, Sam Moore, Sleepy LaBeef, The Texas Playboys, and C.K. Mann. All of the members have worked as independent studio musicians and have played on many nationally broadcast radio and TV commercials and on dozens of CDs and records. Band members have also performed on many national television broadcasts and radio programs.

Since the inception of The Hula Monsters they have won many "Wammies", the annual awards given by the Washington Area Music Association (WAMA), including "Best World Music Group" (in 2005, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999 and 1994). Band members have won Wammie awards and been nominated by WAMA for Best "World Music Vocalist", "World Music Instrumentalist", "Country Instrumentalist", "Bluegrass Instrumentalist", "Country Vocalist", "Roots Rock Instrumentalist", "Roots Rock Vocalist", and "Traditional Jazz Vocalist" ...to name a few!

"One of the best bands in the world" - The Washington Post

"You gotta love the Hula Monsters. They¹ve established one of the most novel sounds in the city..." - The Baltimore Sun