Mar, 16, 2026
Media AlertsSpecial Events and Programs
Phoenix Art Museum announces SOUNDCHECK music series lineup for April – June 2026
Tickets now on sale for April – June 2026 SOUNDCHECK performances, a program at PhxArt that is sponsored by Men’s Arts Council and showcasing local and regional musical acts every third Thursday
PHOENIX (March 16, 2026) – Phoenix Art Museum announces the summer 2026 lineup for SOUNDCHECK, a live-music series that activates the Museum each third Thursday of the month from 6 – 7 pm. The monthly event, made possible through the generosity of presenting sponsor Men’s Arts Council, with additional support from Desert Financial Credit Union and the Angela and Leonard Singer Endowment for the Performing Arts, brings popular local and regional acts to the Museum for unplugged, can’t-miss performances.
Tickets to SOUNDCHECK performances from April through June 2026 are now live on phxart.org and include all-day access to the Museum’s galleries.
Pariah Pete
Thursday, April 16, 2026
Bar opens 5 pm | Doors open 5:30 pm | Show at 6 – 7 pm
In collaboration with VIVA PHX, the April performer will be Pariah Pete. Pariah Pete, aka “Pariah Like Mariah with a P” is an indie hip-hop artist from Phoenix redefining the sound of the Southwest with what he calls “desert jazz rap”, blending rap, jazz, neo-soul, and pop. Backed by his band, The Mercuries, he transforms vulnerability into groove, pairing sharp lyricism with warm, melodic instrumentation that moves crowds as much as it moves hearts. Raised by a single Polish immigrant mother, Pete began writing music at just nine years old. One of his earliest memories is of his older sister playing 50 Cent’s “In Da Club”, a stark contrast to the jazz often played by his Mom, a duality that would later shape his own signature sound. Drawing inspiration from artists like Kendrick Lamar, MF DOOM, Erykah Badu, and Gil Scott-Heron, Pete channels both classic soul and contemporary rap into music that feels timeless yet distinctly his own.
About VIVA PHX
Downtown Phoenix comes together for VIVA PHX 2026, April 15-20. Six days of mostly FREE concerts, art, talks, culinary experiences, and community. Whether you’re local or visiting from beyond, this is your invitation to connect with everything that makes Arizona special. Culture happens when we’re together.
Tickets to Pariah Pete’s SOUNDCHECK performance are available here.
Dirt Rhodes
Thursday, May 21, 2026
Bar opens 5 pm | Doors open 5:30 pm | Show at 6 – 7 pm
Dirt Rhodes is a Diné band fronted by Ryan Alison from Fort Defiance, Arizona, located on the Navajo Nation. His first release “Navajo Country Music” was released in September of 2020. Since, he and his band have graced stages of the southwest with Rez Country sounds. With influences from Texas, Nashville, and The Navajo Nation, Dirt Rhodes aims to highlight Indigenous peoples’ long history with Country and Western music.
Tickets to Dirt Rhodes’s SOUNDCHECK performance are available here.
The Joeys
Thursday, June 18, 2026
Bar opens 5 pm | Doors open 5:30 pm | Show at 6 – 7 pm
The Joeys are a 3 piece Rock n’ Roll outfit from Phoenix, Arizona. Dean Cheney, Logan Cormany, and Hayden Lamm began performing together in 2019 and have been frequenting local music clubs and festival lineups ever since, having opened for such acts as The Black Lips, 10cc, and The Meteors. They were voted “Best Band” in Phoenix Magazines’ 2025 “Best of the Valley” issue. The Joeys also won the Proof is in the Pudding in 2019, one of the biggest music competitions in Arizona, and opened for Alice Cooper at his annual Christmas show. With inspirations ranging from The Stray Cats, The Doors, Everly Brothers, and X, The Joeys combine classic and modern songwriting with a distinctive Southwestern flavor. Their live shows are explosive and exciting, always offering a crowd good variety, whether it’s a fast paced rocker, a slow heartfelt ballad, and anything in between. During the summer of 2024, The Joeys collaborated with local legend Bob Hoag for their newest collection of songs, “Sonoran Dreams,” which was released in January of 2025.
Tickets to The Joeys’ SOUNDCHECK performance are available here.
To request interviews or high-res images, contact the Communications Office of Phoenix Art Museum at press@phxart.org. For more information on the Men’s Arts Council, contact Lindsay Hansen at 480.205.6195 or lindsay@ldhconsulting.net.
About Phoenix Art Museum
Since 1959, Phoenix Art Museum (PhxArt) has engaged millions of visitors with the art of our region and world. Located in Phoenix’s Central Corridor, PhxArt creates spaces of exchange and belonging for all audiences through dynamic exhibitions, collections, and experiences with art. Each year, 300,000 guests on average engage with critically acclaimed national and international exhibitions and the Museum’s collection of more than 21,000 works of American and Western American, Asian, European, Latin American, modern, and contemporary art and fashion design, along with vibrant photography exhibitions made possible through the Museum’s landmark partnership with the Center for Creative Photography at the University of Arizona in Tucson. PhxArt also presents live performances, outstanding examples of global cinema, arts-education programs and workshops, a monthly live-music series, and more for the community. To learn more about Phoenix Art Museum, visit phxart.org, or call 602.257.1880.
About Men’s Arts Council
The Men’s Arts Council (MAC) of Phoenix Art Museum, founded in 1967, is a 501(c)3, non-profit organization that supports the Museum’s programs and activities through its unique events such as the Copperstate 1000 and the Copperstate Overland, a vintage off-road rally. The Men’s Arts Council’s efforts enable the organization to make annual contributions to Phoenix Art Museum’s operating budget and financially sponsor exhibitions. For more information, visit https://mensartscouncil.com/.
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