Lilia Menconi

10 Best Country Bars in Metro Phoenix

Practically every Western film one can think of has at least one saloon scene, a place where the sound of honky tonk piano creates the mood, where the town folk mix with the cowboys and ranchers, the gamblers and outlaws rub shoulders with the Marshall and his deputies, and the mustachioed bartende ... More >>

Glass Heroes, Sole and the Skyrider Band, Kurt Vile, Cris Kirkwood, and Other Weekend Events

Glass Heroes are scheduled to perform at the George & Dragon on Saturday.​We're kicking it old school with our latest edition of "10 Things Under $10" by pimping a few unique shows by a handful of the Valley's more legendary musicians. Cris Kirkwood of the Meat Puppets is holding a special g ... More >>

I Love This: Fat or Fiction

My blog posts might be a hell of a lot funnier if I wrote them as letters to myself, and then snarkily responded to them.Or not.Because this is what writer Todd Daniel does on his hysterical new diet blog, Fat or Fiction, and I promise you, the guy doesn't need a particular gimmick to be funny. ... More >>

Press Club Honors Staffers

Arizona Press Club Names Up On The Sun "Best Features Blog"

​It brings me great joy to report that Up On The Sun was named the Best Features Blog in the state by the Arizona Press Club in a ceremony Saturday night in downtown Phoenix. Niki D'Andrea, Jonathan McNamara, Stephen Chilton and I made up the winning team. (Full results here.)The "Best Features Bl ... More >>

Phoenix New Times Takes 13 First-Place Awards in AZ Press Club Competition -- Including Designer of the Year

Jasmine Hobeheidar and Peter Storch sweep two Press Club design categories, take three first places, and Storch wins Designer of the Year. ​ Phoenix New Times writers won 26 awards - including 13 first-places -- over the weekend at the Arizona Press Club awards banquet for work publishe ... More >>

Hello to Jackalope Ranch, Farewell to Arty Girl

http://www.flickr.com/photos/notionscapital/3255292803/​Don't panic. Take a deep breath, count to ten, and relax.Yes, it's true. Arty Girl will be no longer.At least, not in this format on this blog. She will live on in spirit, however, at our new blog, Jackalope Ranch. It's a blog completely devo ... More >>

The White Stripes Concert Movie, Limbeck, Civet, and More

​Still bitter about the fact that the White Striped snubbed Phoenix on their last nationwide tour? Then it's probably a good idea if you avoid watching their new documentary/concert film Under Great White Northern Lights.The flick (which is a visual compliment to a live album of the same name ... More >>

10 Things Under $10 This Weekend: Rites of Spring Ball, Tim Barry, Miss Derringer, and More

Deja Dance will participate in the Rites of Spring Ball on Friday at the Alwun House.According to the calendar on our wall, more than a week remains until spring has officially arrived. But for all intents and purposes, it feels like it's already sprung. The last gasp of winter has come and gone, te ... More >>

People's Biennial Slated for SMoCA Raises Hackles of Local Artists and Curators

Kathleen VanesianCould this be a contender for SMoCA's upcoming "People's Biennial"?​ The art community grapevine in this Valley is about three inches long, so it didn't take much time for me to get calls concerning a recent, very heated panel discussion at Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary A ... More >>

What's on Tap for Tonight's First Friday

Lost Leaf will host the paintings of Jules Demetrius.​Jeezum crow, its gonna be cold this weekend. Really cold. Like in the 30s. So unless hypothermia is your bag baby, better throw on an extra sweater or down plenty of spirits when venturing out to tonight's freezing First Friday at the various ... More >>

The Swell Season Now Has A Mural (Controvery to Follow?)

The Swell Season memorialized in a mural in downtown Phoenix.​Uh oh: Arty Girl is not gonna like this.At first Friday I noticed that the good folks at Stateside Presents have not heeded the words of advice Lilia Menconi dispensed in her blog criticizing the Monsters of Folk mural that appeared on ... More >>

What's on Tap for First Friday: Furious Styles Crew, Train Tracks, and Pop Art

​It's been 16 years since the Furious Styles Crew first busted onto P-Town's cultural landscape back in 1993. And in that time span, the premier b-boy/hip-hop dance collective has been popping and locking up a storm. Their dances have become a major draw during First Fridays as well, drawing hund ... More >>

10 Things Under $10 This Weekend: Frat Games, Free Shows, and Freaky Movies

Kyle Cesmat Safe Haven is scheduled to perform tonight at Club Mardi Gras.Dear College Students of the Valley, Welcome back from your summertime hiatus. Your absence was particularly missed by local bar and club owners, as was your supply of disposable income. A few things are different sinc ... More >>

10 Things Under $10 This Weekend: Lingerie Shows, Big Pimpin, Punk Karaoke, and More

The Crush is scheduled to perform tonight at MADCAP Theatres in Tempe. Dreamy Lingerie and Swimwear Launch Party at the Mondrian (Friday) There are a few good reasons why you might consider attending this sexy soiree: The Mondrian's Midnight Room provides quite a swanky background in which to w ... More >>

What's On Tap for This Weekend's Art Detour: Fixed-gear Bikers, Devilish Artists, and More

The fixed-gear documentary Death Pedal is scheduled to be screened at Grandiose.

Arty Girl: The Trouble with Boys and Girls

"For Your General Bliss" by Rebekah Bogard.The miserably single Lilia Menconi of a year ago would have had a lot to say about an art show called "The Trouble with Boys and Girls". I'm inclined to assume that the under-sexed and over-exercised version of me would certainly have bored her readers with ... More >>

What's On Tap for Tonight's First Friday: UFOs, Back Ted N-Ted, and DJs galore

Close encounters of the weird kind are scheduled to take place at tonight's First Friday. Someone better call in Mulder and Scully, because there's gonna be a UFO sighting going down during tonight's First Friday in downtown Phoenix. Or at least, that's what the people at the Firehouse (1015 ... More >>

Club Candids at Best Friends Forever

Lilia MenconiHoly Dang! See more shots in our Club Candids Slide Show.Those dudes are responsible for two years of drunken debauchery on the dance floor of the now defunct GLAM and we will follow their partying ways across this town as long as we've got legs.Speaking of having legs, we hit their new ... More >>

What's On Tap For Tonight's First Friday

"Arms Wide" by Lindsey Nochta. We're changing things up for this month's edition of our First Friday preview post. In addition to providing you with a rundown of musicians performing at the monthly event, from here on out we'll also be giving you the scoop on much of the artwork being shown at t ... More >>

Arty Girl: Elihu Vedder Drawings at Phoenix Art Museum

So I'm a writer, right? At least, that's what I've been telling everyone at these Holiday parties I've been frequenting. It's only natural that I wouldn't be able to keep myself away from this blog on Christmas Eve. And while I don't expect any of you to take in an art show tomorrow (you can't ... More >>

Who's the Wanker Now? Hint: Not Andy Rourke of The Smiths

Last week, I called out Andy Rourke of the Smiths for standing me up not once, not twice, but thrice. As you may know, Rourke of The Smiths took my advice and showed up to spin this weekend at the Ruby Room. And me? Well, I took the opportunity to embarrass myself in front of a member of my all-ti ... More >>

"Fill in the Groove" Update

Last Thursday, Lilia Menconi brought you the first word on Saturday's "Fill in the Groove: Vinyl Art Show" at Hoodlums in Mesa in both blog and article form. Frankly, we have a great interest in crazy art, so we couldn't help but get a few shots direct from the show this weekend.  Check out an upd ... More >>

“Fill in the Groove: Vinyl Art Show” at Hoodlums Transforms Ear Candy to Eye Candy

Arty Girl: ASU Art Museum in Miami, FL

Finally, a reason I would actually want to go to Florida. No offense to anyone from that place. It's just that I'm a native Phoenician - I don't like humidity, warm beach water offends me and I've always thought Florida was for people who don't know California exists.Today through Friday, the Aqua A ... More >>

Get A Preview Of Treasure Mammal's New Split Seven-Inch Before Tomorrow Night's Release Party

By Benjamin Leatherman Treasure Mammal's Abe Gil in action. If we had to put together our top 10 favorite local bands to see live, Treasure Mammal would undoubtedly be somewhere on said list. It's because Abelardo Gil III, the hyperactive dynamo behind the one-man spazz-tronica outfit, always put ... More >>

Arty Girl: Dale Chihuly at Desert Botanical Garden

By Lilia Menconi With slideshow by Kathleen VanesianYes, you must see this and more in the slideshow.If you haven't heard of Dale Chihuly, put a rubber band on your wrist, pull it back and snap that baby as punishment. This is an artist you should know. He's one of the most highly esteemed contempor ... More >>

Irwin Benefit Boasts Two Brash Female Voices

By Martin Cizmar st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } It was a bold move, putting Dry River Yacht Club on right before Black Carl. Here you have two of the biggest female voices in the Valley's indie rock scene -- Emma Pew of BC and DRYC's Garnet -- back to back. But, hey, when you'r ... More >>

The Phoenix Music Community Hosts a Benefit Show for the Family of Former New Times Staffer Megan Irwin

A benefit show featuring some of the Valley’s brightest music stars is always an event worth attending, but in the case of the “Purpose” benefit show on Sunday, November 23, the cause hits close to home for us at New Times.

Who’s performing at tonight’s First Friday art walk

Podcast: Love Phoenix or Leave Phoenix Continued

This Weekend: Sangria Luxe Lounge, Edgefest, Mini Luchadores

Podcast: Love Phoenix or Leave Phoenix

New Times Staffers Weigh In on Why They’re Not Leaving Phoenix Anytime Soon

Arty Girl: Edward Weston at Phoenix Art Museum

This Weekend: Bobby Fresh and Hal Sparks

Club Candids: Party Foul at Homme Lounge on Friday, July 11

Who the #$&% is Jackson Pollock?

Model Tatiana Sorokko at Phoenix Art Museum

This Weekend: Academics Party, 3 Inches of Blood and Nathan's Hot Dogs

Last Minute Wednesday: 80s Movie Night at The Rose & Crown Pub

This Weekend: Wiener Dog Races and A Double Dose of Art Courtesy of SMoCA and 1700 Curry

Westcor Weenies

This raucous raven demands: Is Westcor taking a cue from the Jim Crow South, or is io's closing really about a lame-o lease dispute?

Toughest Sheriff in the Nation Wimps Out

Bess & The Bird