New Deal Café Running Ahead of Top Music Venues in WTOP Contest

The in Greenbelt, MD, is keeping heady company these days as a Top 10 nominee in WTOP's Best of Washington local music venue competition.

After nominations opened on July 9, station staff were surprised as amidst some 600 user and listener nominations, the New Deal kept showing up.

The café had so many supporters that it placed in the Top 10 along with hall of famers like Strathmore, The Fillmore, Wolf Trap, and Merriweather Post Pavilion.

"We were surprised when they popped up there," said John Meyer, WTOP's director of digital media, "particularly when you look at the company that is in there as well."

When the New Deal showed up among the best, "It was just unbelievable," said New Deal Music Coordinator Amethyst Dwyer. "It makes it feel so much more important because we're a home grown, grassroots, community-based cooperative and it's our community living room."

To vote, go to WTOP's Top 10 website. Voting closes on Friday, July 20.

Voting began Monday, July 16, and by late Tuesday afternoon, two days into the competition, the Facebook tally showed Greenbelt's New Deal Café leading the music pack with 232 likes.

Meyer said he had to admit that before the Top 10 started, he hadn't heard of the New Deal. Taking a look at its standing among the contenders on Tuesday, he said, "It's doing very well for itself."

Dwyer's excitement effervesced as she counted the likes on Tuesday, "We're the little cafe that could," she said.

Local Music Venue Facebook Likes on Tuesday, July 17

• 930 Club - 61

• The Birchmere - 99

• Jammin' Java - 22

• Wolf Trap - 55

• Jiffy Lube Live - 15

• Ram's Head Tavern - 26

• Strathmore - 51

• The Fillmore - 17

• Merriweather Post Pavilion - 18

• The New Deal Cafe - 232

WTOP is likely to list the winners Monday, July 23, Meyer said. In the two weeks following, it plans to post a feature story on each winners in its 10 categories.