Five years ago, Tian Qiyi performed in the Music Room, unveiling their distinctive experimental fusion of erhu, yangqin and morin khuur with dub basslines, live loops and post-punk energy – a bold step in reimagining Chinese traditional music.
Their roots, however, reach back to Liverpool’s 2008 Capital of Culture, when the Pagoda Youth Orchestra joined forces with the Chinese Dub Commission and bass pioneer Jah Wobble, planting the seeds of the cross-cultural sound Tian Qiyi would later develop.
Since then, the brothers have earned international acclaim – their 2023 debut album Red Mist and 2025’s Songs for Workers both received Songlines’ ‘Top of the World’ recognition. They have appeared at leading festivals, while receiving airplay and support from BBC Radio 6 Music and Radio X.
In the Year of the Horse 2026, Tian Qiyi return, joined by Jah Wobble on bass, celebrating a lineage of creativity first sparked in Liverpool and now resonating worldwide.