Random Happening: Small Island Big Song

Earth Day Concert at the Warner Grand

On April 27, the Warner Grand Theatre will present Small Island Big Song, in honor of Earth Day. The concert is part of a larger multi-platform project — that includes an award winning album and a documentary film — uniting indigenous musicians who share an ancient seafaring ancestry across the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Recorded, composed and filmed with the artists, in the languages and with the instruments of their homeland, they’ve created — with Taiwanese producer BaoBao Chen and Australian music producer and filmmaker Tim Cole — a contemporary and relevant epic musical statement of a region in the frontline of global cultural and environmental challenges.

The Small Island Big Song international tour and production draws attention to the diverse cultures of Madagascar, Aotearoa, Taiwan, Marshall Islands, Hawaii, New Guinea, Tahiti, Rapa Nui, Solomon Islands and more. It is an exuberant celebration raising awareness about climate change and the fate of many islands affected by rising seas. News from the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, or COP26, in Glasgow reports that two of the eight islands of the nation of Tuvalu are nearly submerged and according to the U.S. Geological Survey, the Marshall Islands may face the same fate within the next 20 years. 

“This situation is not only affecting the South Pacific. Climate change and sea level rise are changing coastlines around the world, in ways that threaten ecological balances that we rely on,” said Dr. Julianne Pasarelli, education and collections curator at the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium in San Pedro. “Sea level rise can change the nature of local wetlands, threatening animal habitats and fisheries and can also remove natural buffers from storms — not to mention the risk to freshwater supplies and the impact on real estate.” 

The Small Island Big Song documentary film showcases panoramic visuals of the artist’s homelands. The audience will journey across the breadth and into the soul of island nations of the Pacific and Indian Ocean, meeting an ancient seafaring ancestry while confronting the impacts of climate change head on. Performers and youth ambassadors share their island’s voice supported through the cinematic sequences. 

​Watch the trailer here: https://tinyurl.com/small-island

The concert combines oceanic grooves, soulful island ballads, spoken word and images of the artist’s homelands in live cinema with AV projections featuring footage collected during a three-year film trip across 16 countries guided by the artists on their homelands. 

The live performance is on tour in 2022, in more than 10 cities across the United States. The show has toured to 14 countries across four continents, with 170K plus audiences having seen it live since its premiere at the 2018 South by Southwest Film Festival. Moving beyond the concert experience, Small Island Big Song offers a variety of opportunities for students and audiences to investigate the environmental, political, social and cultural contexts on our oceans’ islands.

New audiences will hear the music that has earned the German Record Critics’ Award for Album of the Year; the UK Songlines Music Award for Best Asia/Pacific Album and nominations for the U.S. Independent Music Awards Best Concept Album and Best Music Website.

“We are excited to be the only Southern California location to present this exhilarating concert event. Don’t miss it,” said Liz Johnson, executive director, Grand Vision Foundation. Grand Vision Foundation is the presenter of Small Island Big Song, April 27, at the Warner Grand Theatre.

This project is produced in partnership with AltaSea and is supported by the office of Councilman Joe Buscaino, the office of Supervisor Janice Hahn, and the family of Gary and Milli Alexander.

Small Island Big Song

Time: 7:30 p.m., April 27

Cost: $29 to $105

Details: https://tinyurl.com/373s8pny 

Venue: Warner Grand Theatre, 478 W. 6th St., San Pedro

LINKS:

• Small Island Big Song –www.smallislandbigsong.com

• Instagram – www.instagram.com/small_island_big_song