Firebird’s latest:
July 16th, 2026.
Who owns music in this new garden of beasts, era of copyright?.
Modern music has always walked the tightrope between fair use and infringement. In this article, I discuss the power dynamics of music copyright through examples involving major artists like Kanye West and the major record labels. I also examine the advent of AI in music and how the industry is scrambling to secure its future. Looking ahead, who will be protected, and who will be left behind?
by Alexandra Moxey.
July 6th, 2026.
Madison Cunningham at Thalia Hall.
Photos of Madison Cunningham at Thalia Hall on April 10th, 2026.
by Olivia Greipp.
July 2nd, 2026.
I make time capsules. You should too.
When you realize that you’re living through a period you’d like to remember, make a playlist of it. Here are some of mine.
by Roxane Bushofsky.
June 27th, 2026.
I Snuck into UC Berkeley to see Wisp.
It was worth it.
By Mimi Mikhailov.
May 26th, 2026.
How jazz learned to break rules.
In most music, a wrong note is a mistake. In jazz, though, you can make it work.
By Unnathi Venkatesh.
May 23rd, 2026.
Meet the Korean pop misfits leading the K-Electronic scene.
What the indie K-electronic scene has in store for Korea and the US.
By Jina Jeon.
May 18th, 2026.
Tyler Ramsey and Carl Broemel at Space.
Photos of Tyler Ramsey and Carl Broemel at Space on February 13th, 2026.
by Olivia Greipp.
May 11th, 2026.
BENEE at the Metro.
Photos of BENEE at the Metro on March 10th, 2026.
May 6th, 2026.
Claire Dickson In Perfect Balance
Released on March 13th, Claire Dickson’s newest album is a refreshing take on jazz, nature, and the balancing act of life, music, and poetry.
by Mimi Mikhailov.
May 4th, 2026.
Punk Music Taught Me How to Love
Punk has the ability to imbue us with that intoxicating blend of tenderness and ire, to animate our desire to reshape the world and help us find a positive direction for doing so.
by Kaden Kaden.
May 3rd, 2026.
Alemeda at Avondale Music Hall.
Photos of Alemeda at Avondale Music Hall on February 24th, 2026.
by Olin Nafziger.
April 27th, 2026.
The Music of The Sound
Uncompromising and intense, The Sound was post-punk at its finest.
by Aahaan Singh.
April 26th, 2026.
Jordan Ward at House of Blues.
Photos of Jordan Ward at House of Blues on March 15th, 2026.
by Olin Nafziger.
April 20th, 2026.
Glaive Makes A Goal With "Y'all"
Creative ambition, the early 20s experience, and polo jerseys.
by Jina Jeon.
April 17th, 2026.
Politics without words.
The Art Ensemble of Chicago, John Coltrane, and Sun Ra offer us an insight into the poetic possibility of politics without words.
by Ezra Ellenborgen.
April 14th, 2026.
What Color Is She? Pale Orange, Woody Brown, and a Mixed Green
She’s Green with Sunshy, Avsha at Schubas. A low-expectation weeknight show became an unexpected pleasure, tracing color and texture through live sound.
by Yining Wang.
April 11th, 2026.
The anatomy of “coworker rap”: an investigation into a baffling subgenre.
For those who would rather throw tomatoes than applaud, a whole new world of hip-hop awaits.
by Kevin McDermott.
April 9th, 2026.
Bryce Vine at Bottom Lounge.
Photos of Bryce Vine and opener OUT IN FRONT at Bottom Lounge on February 26th, 2026.
by Olivia Greipp.
April 6th, 2026.
Blue World: proof that The Beach Boys’ favorite music can be yours, too.
Despite their frequent characterization as a mere inspirational stepping stone for the most successful pop groups of the 20th century, the Four Freshmen’s early output sings boldly for itself.
by Ryan D’Urso.
April 5th, 2026.
The Double Edged Sword II
The Atlanta-based trio fends off performative punks and hollow popstars with their innovative record and community-focused live show.
by Mimi Mikhailov.
February 13th, 2026.
Firebird Magazine - Issue 4
Firebird Magazine Issue 4; launched on February 13th, 2026.
by Firebird Magazine.
April 2nd, 2026.
Staff Picks ‘25
Our favorite albums of 2025.
by Firebird Magazine
March 31st, 2026.
Making art for money: the enigmatic Edward Skeletrix.
In a wretched world where meaning is meaningless, this underground “rapper” plays the fool.
by Luca Bigler.
March 28th, 2026.
Greatest Songs of All Time: Seven incredible songs and what makes them so special.
These are all songs that stand out in lyrics and instrumentation. These songs are intricate and capture real, raw emotion so that even if the scenario is foreign, the feeling is familiar and evokes empathy or a strong response.
by Rena Hollister
March 25th, 2026.
Hyperpop: the drag of pop.
Hyperpop’s chaos cracked open my sense of gender, teaching me that artifice isn’t the opposite of truth, but sometimes the only way to get there.
by Scott Gonzales.
February 28th, 2026.
Lateralus and Approximate Divinity.
With TOOL to go on tour in the following months, an analysis of their most important songs seems the only way to welcome back the legendary band.
by Bennett Albon.
February 21st, 2026.
The 7 best songs used as movie endings.
These songs make you watch all the credits.
by Peter Cross.
February 16th, 2026.
Kaleidoscope: Canny and Uncanny.
With Kaleidoscope, Siouxsie and the Banshees evolved beyond their punk origins and into something markedly stranger.
by Aahaan Singh.
February 8th, 2026.
Firebird’s Top 20 Albums of 2025.
The top 20 albums of 2025, as voted by Firebird’s staff.
by Firebird Magazine.
January 31st, 2026.
I was a victim of the bass. The bass was a victim of the modern world.
The bassvictim concert was less about musical artistry and more about community, emotion, and dancing. And vaping.
by Mimi Mikhailov.
January 25th, 2026.
Gil Scott-Heron: your favorite rapper’s favorite poet.
Before there was rap, there was Gil Scott-Heron. He was a jazz artist, poet, and spoken word performer active in New York City from the 1970s until his death in 2011. You might not know him yet, but the words he wrote continue to influence rap artists to this day.
by Kaden Kaden.
January 18th, 2026.
Why do you perform?
An interview with Marc Cohn.
by Amos Lawrence.
January 12th, 2026.
The 2010s Party Pop Revival.
Looking at the resurgence of party-hard dance pop led by queer artists.
by Jina Jeon.
January 10th, 2026.
Patti Smith in Chicago Theatre.
Fifty years after her historic album Horses, Patti Smith returned to her birthplace, Chicago, with a performance still burning with unmistakable power.
by Yining Wang.
January 6th, 2026.
Chance the Rapper’s STAR LINE is a return to form.
“I had an F-minus, but that’s behind us.”
by Kristen Wallace
December 31st, 2025.
A night with Bright Eyes.
I went to The Salt Shed looking for good music and a break from the cold. Bright Eyes delivered a set that was honest, emotional, and unexpectedly intense: the kind of show that sticks with you.
by Alexandra Moxey.
December 28th, 2025.
They are Jazzing a Body of Shoegaze?
Pennsylvania-based bands fib and They Are Gutting a Body of Water’s improvisation, electronic samples, and polyrhythms clash with West Coast shoegaze’s nu-metal practices.
by Mimi Mikhailov
December 1st, 2025.
Playing make believe with Tei Shi.
An interview with Valerie Teicher, Colombian-Canadian singer-songwriter better known as Tei Shi.
by Taylor Pate.
November 20, 2025.
The Aces at Thalia Hall.
On just the second night of their national tour, The Aces dazzle with their groovy new album, Gold Star Baby.
by Camille Cypher
November 12th, 2025.
Of Monsters and Men at The Salt Shed.
Photos of Of Monsters and Men at The Salt Shed on November 6th, 2025.
by Greta Serniute.
November 9th, 2025.
Leith Ross at Thalia Hall.
Leith Ross’s performance at Thalia Hall was an intimate night of hope and reflection, looking forward to a brighter and more liberatory future.