De Äter Sin Egen Gud (or “They Eat Their Own God” on most days), from Columbia, SC opened the show (Russ from Dread Fabrik filled-in on bass.)

Then came a two-shot round of a dynamic duo bands: Dumpster and Dickwolf. This couple of couples are two Greensboro bands in my top 5 acts YOU MUST SEE.

Seriously, they’re like run-over-an-old-lady-so-you’re-not-late kind of good. [Was that a bit extreme?] Whatever, point is – they rule.

Dumpster features Jeff Gordon (no, not THAT Jeff Gordon… [or the other Jeff Gordon he is often mistaken for]) on guitar and Stephanie Poole on drums. Poole is a powerhouse and Gordon brings the fuzz. It’s a space opera with Shonen Knife covers. They’re young and vivacious. Check. Them. Out.

Forged from the wake of Walking Dead, the elusive Dickwolf is a mighty creature. Taco parties fuel the Dickwolf howl of “thrash metal with pop punk tendencies” (or perhaps, the other way around?) Eitherway, there’s no NewFoundGlory pop punk in Dickwolf (which runs toward the 1980′s vein of the genre.) That night, their rad rendition of Lamar Vanoy by Bouncing Souls procured a nice little sing-a-long from the crowd  (although their cover of “Cheer” by the Descendents at a recent Dogwood show STAYS stuck in my head.)

Dread Fabrik wound-down the night with enthusiasm and crowd surfing. Comprised of members from Big Attack, (most of) the dudes in Dread Fabrik are recent Greensborians-by-way-of-Philadelphia. Punchy and political, Dread Fabrik looks to ignite the revolution. They totally dropped a few bombs on New York Pizza in the process.

Facebooks:

• De Äter Sin Egen Gud (They Eat Their Own God)
• Dumpster
• Dickwolf
• Dread Fabrik
• Katei Chan
• New York Pizza

The post D-Day at New York Pizza: Dumpster, DickWolf, Dread Fabrik appeared first on Avant Greensboro.

If you’re at all familiar with the historic college district of UNC Greensboro, chances are you’re also familiar with New York Pizza (or ‘N.Y.P.’) and its bubbly, crunchy-crusted pizza pies. It’s a Greensboro institution, for better or for worse.

In my opinion, it is for the better. Every town, regardless of its student population, deserves to have an all-night authentic pizza joint whose owner’s accent is as thick as its oozy mozzarella cheese. The owner, Eddie Gramisci, greets Richard Krol and me at the front of his new Battleground pizzeria location,  which is so full of families and their pizza-fed, adorable little ones that there was nowhere to park in the ample lot. A single table near the patio was open, luckily, and Eddie bids us welcome to sit down.

“Can I ask you a couple of questions?” I ask Eddie when he visits us at our seats.

“You can ask,” he offers, “but it doesn’t mean I’m going to answer!”

He chuckles at his joke and looks in our eyes. I’m pretty sure he’s joking, anyway.

“Why should families order New York Pizza, instead of the familiar corporate pizzas, which are less expensive than your own?” I inquire trepidatiously.

“You just said it,” Eddie gasps, “we are not a chain!”

I instantly feel at ease as Eddie describes how each pie is made with hand-stretched dough, freshly shredded cheese, and toppings such as mushrooms and peppers sauteed in-house. There is no production line in the warm kitchen, full of aproned, determined chefs. The night we visit, they have their hands full, and they’re handling it with aplomb.

The ambiance leaves something to be desired. Wooden plaques resembling Corona bottles and neon drink signs don’t exactly scream “family friendly” but the crowd doesn’t seem to mind a tad. For a pizzeria, however, the bright black and white tile floor is a relief from the lighting of the Tate location, which is dim and thrown by the rotating ceiling fans.

If you’re thinking this is just going to be another hipster watering hole, carbon copied from its mothership on Tate Street, you couldn’t be more wrong. The NYP on Tate is not only a pizzeria and bar, it’s also a venue for live music and art exhibits. The NYP on Battleground will focus on being a pizzeria and bar alone, but with more amplified efforts, it seems.

Have you enjoyed drunken slices of pizza in the wee early morning hours at the NYP on Tate and, perhaps, marveled at the delicious tartness of the pepperoni? If so, you won’t be disappointed by the upgrades here.

The bar boasts 24 different beers on tap and 13 wines, far superior to Tate’s selections. Also noteworthy is the expanded menu. The addition to the menu are unexpected and pleasing: I ordered the Sundried Tomato pizza, a specialty pizza, which is topped with sundried tomatoes, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, and garlic. For the record, I find it more than a bit weird that garlic is a topping choice for pizza. Isn’t that kind of like a condiment, akin to parmesan and red pepper flakes, in this industry?

The expanded salad menu includes Cesar Chicken Salad, which is spangled with exceedingly fresh rosemary, a welcome touch to a brilliant Atkins-friendly entree.

Order a glass of wine, get a specialty pie, and sit back to watch the game. Come springtime, soak up some sun on the patio, which is sure to be a very popular spot. Say hello to Eddie if you’re there – he’s been doing this for a long time, and is sure to be in the business for a lot longer.

_______________________

New York Pizza – Battleground

2704  Battleground Ave, Greensboro | Map

Phone: (336) 286-7667

Hours: 11am – 2am daily

Pricing: $11.50 for basic cheese pizza (Medium) to $25.00 for large specialty pies.

Vegetarian friendly: Yes

Family Friendly: Yes

Service: Excellent

Take Out/Dine In/Delivery: Yes, yes and yes.

Ambiance: 5/10

Overall Rating: 8/10

NYP on Facebook

The post New York Pizza on Battleground appeared first on Avant Greensboro.