PHOENIX (December 1, 2025) – Phoenix Art Museum announces the Spring 2026 lineup for SOUNDCHECK, a new 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. Spring performances will be presented in the Dorrance Sculpture Garden, offering a stunning setting for live music with an outdoor backdrop.

Tickets to SOUNDCHECK performances for January through March 2026 are now live on phxart.organd include all-day access to the Museum’s galleries.  

SOUNDECHECK Lineup | January – March 2026

PHOENIX AFROBEAT ORCHESTRA
Thursday, January 15, 2026 
Bar opens 5 pm | Doors open 5:30 pm | Show at 6 – 7 pm

Dorrance Sculpture Garden

PHOENIX AFROBEAT ORCHESTRA (PAO!) proudly carries the musical and social torch that was first lit by the powerful duo of Fela Kuti and Tony Allen, original inventors of the Afrobeat sound in Lagos, Nigeria, in West Africa. Led by funky heiress Camille Sledge, the 16-strong orchestra is composed of the most ambitious and outrageous musicians in Phoenix today. Beginning with a strict repertoire of classic Afrobeat music, PAO! has now penned an abundance of original material that melds the eclectic heritage of the ensemble with that classic Afrobeat style. From concert halls to music festivals, fashion shows to fundraisers, PAO! has shared the stage with George Clinton and The Roots, as well as Bombino, Vieux Farka Touré, Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars, Orgone, Dengue Fever, Turkuaz, Sudan Archives, The Dip, and Los Esplifs, and more.

Tickets to PAO!’s SOUNDCHECK performance are available here.

The Sunflower King
Thursday, February 19, 2026
Bar opens 5 pm | Doors open 5:30 pm | Show at 6 – 7 pm 

Dorrance Sculpture Garden

The Sunflower King (Ashton Vaughn Charles) is a Premier International Destination Event Saxophonist who is passionate about any and every form of expressive artistry. Whether he’s performing on stage in front of thousands, in intimate spaces for small groups, or creating/recording music in his studio, The Sunflower King is known best for expressing himself through multiple genres of music, ranging from Neo-Soul, R&B, and Jazz, to Hip-Hop, Afrobeat, Metal, and more. 

Tickets to The Sunflower King’s SOUNDCHECK performance are available here.

The Hourglass Cats
Thursday, March 19, 2026 
Bar opens 5 pm | Doors open 5:30 pm | Show at 6 – 7 pm

Dorrance Sculpture Garden

Sonoran outfit The Hourglass Cats are a desert rock-n-roll, reggae, and hip-hop collective based out of Phoenix, Arizona. Known for their high-energy live shows, relentless gigging schedule, and recording and performing all their music in 432 Hz, The Hourglass Cats find their true uniqueness in their ability to effortlessly blend multiple genres to create a sound smoothie that is very unique to the Sonoran desert they call home.

Tickets to The Hourglass Cats’ 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, 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/. 

MEDIA CONTACT:

Ernesto Chavezvaldivia, Marketing and Digital Content Manager

602.307.2080 | Ernesto.Chavezvaldivia@phxart.org

Lindsay Hansen, Men’s Arts Council

480.205.6195 | lindsay@ldhconsulting.net

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