Sep, 09, 2025
Media Alerts
Phoenix Art Museum launches SOUNDCHECK, a monthly live-music series showcasing local and regional musical acts
Tickets now on sale for select SOUNDCHECK performances, a new Third Thursday program at PhxArt sponsored by Men’s Arts Council
PHOENIX (September 8, 2025) – Phoenix Art Museum announces SOUNDCHECK, a new live-music series that will activate 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, brings popular local and regional acts to the Museum for unplugged, can’t-miss performances. SOUNDCHECK will replace the Museum’s former annual music festival, Amplified, in response to visitor feedback and audience demand for more frequent live-music performances at the Museum. The series kicks off on October 16, 2025 with pop/rock duo 76th Street and hosted by Benaddiction in collaboration with thems. Tickets for October SOUNDCHECK with 76th Street are available here. Additional tickets for November and December SOUNDCHECK events featuring fearofmakingout and Phoenix Symphony are also now live on phxart.org. The Spring/Summer 2026 Soundcheck lineup will be announced later this fall.
“We are thrilled to announce the launch of SOUNDCHECK, a dynamic monthly evening event at the Museum featuring musical performances by a range of talents, from local artists to international acts,” said Jeremy Mikolajczak, the Sybil Harrington Director and CEO of the Phoenix Art Museum. “SOUNDCHECK aims to provide unique performances for everyone—spanning genres such as pop, rock, singer-songwriters, string ensembles, reggae, jazz, and more. We are deeply grateful to our presenting sponsor, Men’s Arts Council, as well as Desert Financial Credit Union for allowing Phoenix Art Museum to enhance select evenings with live music and performances throughout our campus.”
“SOUNDCHECK is going to be the perfect blend of music, fun and art,” said Sentari Minor, Board President of Men’s Arts Council. “Our partnership with Phoenix Art Museum runs deep, and we’re very excited to be a part of this new event. We anticipate it will draw the community together by featuring some of the best local artists.”
SOUNDECHECK Lineup | October – December 2025
76th Street
Thursday, October 16, 2025
Doors open 5:30 | Show at 6 – 7 pmNashville-based pop/rock duo 76th Street is the creative force of life-long best friends Haley Gold and Spencer Bryant, whose friendship and musical chemistry began in elementary school. Known for their soul-stirring harmonies and raw, evocative songwriting, 76th Street creates a sound that’s both intimate and anthemic, rooted in self-discovery, fierce independence, and queer joy. Their music is an unapologetic celebration of the LGBTQ+ community, creating a space for people to feel seen, empowered, and authentically themselves and drawing influence from Brandi Carlile, Lady Gaga, and the Indigo Girls. 76th Street released their six-song EP WILD in June 2024, with the breakout single “Girl” that captured the attention of millions.
This SOUNDCHECK series kick-off event will be hosted by Benaddiction in collaboration with thems. Benaddiction is a drag artist whose work fuses elegance, dark glamour, and playful sass into a powerful form of performance art. With her bold presence and commitment to inspiring the next generation, she embodies creativity, resilience, and the transformative spirit of drag. thems. is a queer-led nonprofit organization that collaborates with artists and arts organizations to nurture talent and amplify queer voices in Phoenix.
Tickets to 76th Street’s SOUNDCHECK performance are available here.
fearofmakingout
Thursday, November 20, 2025
Doors open 5:30 | Show at 6 – 7 pm
Celebrate fearofmakingout’s latest album release, “Mi Cielo,” at November SOUNDCHECK at PhxArt. Phoenix-born band fearofmakingout pulls from emotionally resonant indie, moody alternative, and internet-era nostalgia to create music that is vulnerable and sometimes messy on purpose. They’ve always written for real people—for friends, for lovers, for the ones working hard and the ones barely holding it together. Rooted in the desert but reaching far past it, fearofmakingout is proudly tied to the Mexican heritage of some of its members and the city that raised them. They take care with what they share, and when they do, it comes fast and full. No polish. No pose. Ask what kind of band they are, and the answer might change. But it’s always going to be true.
Tickets to fearofmakingout’s SOUNDCHECK performance are available here.
The Phoenix Symphony
Thursday, December 18, 2025
Doors open 5:30 | Show at 6 – 7 pm
Presented in partnership with The Phoenix Symphony, experience a stirring Baroque performance that pairs perfectly with the Museum’s newest European art exhibition, Florentine Baroque: The Haukohl Collection. This collaboration reflects The Phoenix Symphony’s core mission to provide extraordinary musical experiences that inspire and advance our community. By pairing world-class music with world-renowned art, this program deepens connections across disciplines and offers audiences a richer, more immersive cultural experience. The exhibition coincides with The Phoenix Symphony’s Christmas Baroque Concert, December 20–21, 2025, at the Orpheum Theatre, creating a unique opportunity to celebrate the Baroque tradition through both visual and musical masterpieces.
Note: Attendees to this performance will also receive a special discount code to attend the Symphony’s Christmas Baroque performance at the Orpheum Theatre on December 20 and 21, 2025.
Tickets to Phoenix Symphony’s SOUNDCHECK performance are available here.
High-resolution photography with image credits can be downloaded here. To request interviews, 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, an art+music festival, 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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