It's been a few years since the release of Alex Vans' first full length DJ Booth. It's a solid and catchy record, full of promise. After recording, Alex formed his backup band The Hide Away, and they've played some 200 shows. Recently, most of those shows have been tributes to Beck, and fans (including myself) were starting to wonder when Alex was gonna fulfill the promise of the first album. I'm happy to say the wait is over.

Vans and The Hide Away are dropping their first new single since DJ Booth, "Velocirapture" on May 5th. It's a bright rocker, exceeding the expectations of earlier work. It's at least as catchy, with a deeper, more formed and practiced sound. Somewhere between Tom Petty and Beck, Alex has found his home. I, for one, believe in the Raptor.

You can catch Alex and The Hide Away at Iota May 9th for a Beck tribute set (part of a huge 1996 showcase featuring tributes to Ras Kass, Weezer, The Cranberries, Fiona Apple and Tori Amos), before The "Velocirapture" Single Release Party, on May 16th at Hill Country Barbecue (w/ Short Lives). --Natan Press

DC/NYC based powerpop band Alex Vans has just put out their official video for their new single "Chase the Night." The song, which powerpopaholic calls "a mixing of old influences skillfully into something fresh" is a three minute whirlwind narrating a night of debauchery and music in a Bushwick loft. It debuted live at Pianos on the lower east side a few weeks ago to a packed house and can now be found on youtube and alexvansmusic.com. See Alex Vans live at Spike Hill on February 22. - (as posted in The Deli's Open Blog - post your band's entries, videos, and Mp3s here). The Deli's NYC Open Blog is powered by The Music Building.

The results are in from the Open Submissions stage for our DC/Baltimore Year End Poll for Emerging Artists. All of the submissions were ranked by Deli Editors from other scenes and the list of acts that have advanced to our Readers’/Fans’ Poll phase are below. We will also be releasing the list of nominees chosen by our local "scene expert" jurors very soon.

Thanks to all the amazing bands and artists who submitted this year. It was an overwhelming response, which just goes to show how awesome our DC/Baltimore scene remains to be.

Total Submissions from the DC Area: 44

Qualified to the final phase of the Best of DC/Baltimore Poll (having scored above 7):

1. Dance for the Dying 8.5 (out of 10)

2. Masked Superstar 8.33

3. M.H. & His Orchestra  7.66

4. Brooks Long  7.66

5. The WeatherVanes 7.33 

6. Ghost Hotel 7.16

7. Alex Vans 7.16

8. Pleasure Curses 7.16

9. The Young Rapids 7.00

10. Mission South 7.00

11. Sun Club 7.00

Honorable Mentions:

Jurors: Chrissy Prisco (Deli New England), Brianne Turner (Deli Nasville), Paolo De Gregorio (Deli NYC).