Photo of the day: Yi Minority Sounds from Moxizishi

This week’s photo theme is China at SXSW 2018: a visual recap of a few bands and artists that represented at the first official China showcase to be held at long-running Austin, TX music industry conference South by Southwest. I was at the event as my band SUBS was one of the featured artists, and this week I’ll share some snaps from the front row.

An early highlight of the night was a set led by Moxizishi (center), a multi-instrumentalist of the Yi ethnic minority who’s established a strong follower base in Beijing for his eclectic mixing of regional folk on traditional instruments and more rock-leaning compositions. His set at SXSW featured Jikehabu (left), an “inheritor of Yi nationality Bimo music,” and a third guest, 3He, shaping electronic tones on a laptop (right). Their set began with a dramatic prelude during which the two Yi musicians were covered in colorful shrouds, which Jikehabu explained were a traditional garment made by his grandmother.

Chinese Artists to Check Out at SXSW This Year