The Albuquerque Megaband is an open acoustic band that plays for each 3rd Saturday contra dance in ABQ. Since its beginnings in the early 1980s it has provided a place for experienced musicians and those just starting out to play together for dance-inclined humans (and occasionally cats and dogs) at FolkMADS dances, workshops, and other events. The Megaband plays for "the love of playing" (meaning: for free), which coincidentally helps the organization maintain a positive cash flow for the monthly dance series.

Semi-organized practice sessions are held on the Tuesday preceding the 3rd Saturday dance each month. Due to the closing of the Blue Dragon Coffee House, our excellent home for many years, we are looking for a new space. Check the calendar and email list announcements for practice locations. While these sessions are not rehearsals, per se, and the repertoire is ever-expanding and wandered-from, the practices do allow folks a chance to play together at dance tempo, and learn some of the ingredients of live, called dances (i.e. how to smile and nod when the caller explains that there's a balance in A1, gypsy in B2, etc., while thinking about which reel to play).

Tune lists, rarely completely current, but useful, are available now and then at practices. A collectible vintage edition is available in PDF here. A collection of recorded bits of tunes played at practice sessions is available here, in mp3 format. Click here to go to the collection. If you can't remember how a tune goes, check this page!

Practice sessions are listed on the monthly FolkMADS calendar. All acoustic instruments are welcome. For more info, contact Jane, Bruce, or David (remove the words "NO SPAM" from the addresses when emailing). To join the Megaband mailing list, enter your email address below:

*Winners of the Old-Time Band contest at the Santa Fe Traditional and Bluegrass Music Festival sometime in the 1990's, but we plan to milk it until none of us remembers winning.