New Deal Café Slamming Top Music Venues in Radio Contest

The in Greenbelt, MD, is a nose-bleed distance out of reach of the major league competition in WTOP's Best of Washington local music venue contest.

With names like Strathmore, 930 Club, Ram's Head Tavern, and Wolf Trap as WTOP Top 10 competitors, as of Thursday morning, the cafe is in the lead with 370 votes. Its closest competitor, running at second, is the The Birchmere with 126 votes.

Elated at the New Deal's showing, its Music Coordinator Amethyst Dwyer has taken to calling it—"the little café that could."

"They definitely have a very passionate following," WTOP Director of Digital Media John Meyer said in an interview Thursday morning.

Supporters nominated it with a lot of vigor, he said, "and it looks like that's continuing in the voting."

It's a grassroots competition where WTOP listeners and users give Facebook likes to their favorite music venue. To vote, go to WTOP's Top 10 website. Voting ends on Friday.

Though some may be surprised at the café's showing, Greenbelt's Mayor Judith "J" Davis said she isn't.

"It's got a great range of musical talent that comes there every night and throughout the week," she said in an interview Thursday.

If Friday closes with the place that Greenbelters call their "community living room," still in the lead, some may be pinching themselves, but Davis won't be among them.

"I don't think it's a dream type of thing, it's something that's well qualified," she said, pointing to the clientele the café has built up and to how musical groups seek it out to perform there.

Local Music Venue Facebook Likes on Thursday, July 19

• 930 Club - 78

• The Birchmere - 126

• Jammin' Java - 32

• Wolf Trap - 70

• Jiffy Lube Live - 17

• Ram's Head Tavern - 29

• Strathmore - 66

• The Fillmore - 24

• Merriweather Post Pavilion - 24

• The New Deal Cafe - 370

WTOP is likely to list the winners Monday, July 23, Meyer said.