Ozy Fest 2018 Preview

In 2013, former MSNBC anchor Carlos Watson founded Ozy.com, which covers news across the spectrum, tilting toward the younger activist demographic. Two years ago, it launched Ozy Fest at New York’s Central Park SummerStage (QRO venue review), combining music, comedy, and TED Talk style discussions, and it returns this weekend, Saturday & Sunday, July 21st & 22nd:

SATURDAY, JULY 21st

The Platform Young the Giant, 9:00 PM These Irvine natives toiled for years as The Jakes, but when they changed their name to Young the Giant (QRO photos at a festival), things finally took off (QRO photos at a festival), with their self-(new) titled album & TV performances, including at MTV’s Video Music Awards. They’ve since been gracing bigger (QRO photos) and bigger (QRO photos) stages & shows (QRO live review), including festivals (QRO photos at a festival). YtG (QRO photos) come after the release of 2016’s Home of the Strange (QRO review), following 2014’s Mind over Matter (QRO review).
Hasan Minhaj, 7:50 PM There’s been a definite upswing of actors & comedians of South Asian descent lately, and at the forefront is Hasan Minhaj. The Daily Show correspondent (the last to be hired by Jon Stewart) is riding high from his well-received first comedy special, last year’s Homecoming King on Netflix.
Common, 6:50 PM Of course Common (QRO photos outdoors) is playing Ozy Fest. The “TED Talk put to music” as he was described in a Celebrity Jeopardy skit on Saturday Night Live, has an earned positivity to his music that has earned him an Oscar for Selma’s “Glory”. He recently formed his own supergroup, August Greene (QRO photos at a festival), and you’ve seen him in commercials and movies, as well as a Fox News created kerfuffle that Jon Stewart expertly exposed. He even appears twice at Ozy Fest, doing a talk earlier in the day (see below).
Hillary Rodham Clinton & Laurene Powell Jobs, 5:00 PM You don’t need to be told who Hillary Rodham Clinton is – she should be president. She has a talk with Laurene Powell Jobs, activist and widow of Apple founder Steve Jobs (she’s also provided financing to oxy.com).
Common, 4:20 PM In addition to a musical performance, Common (QRO photos outdoors) does an ‘Incarceration Nation’ talk at Ozy Fest with Lizzie O’Leary.
Rose McGowan, 3:40 PM Rose McGowan first came to notice starring in a string of indie movies in the late nineties, before joining WB’s Charmed as Paige Matthews. But more recently she has become known in a whole different way, as one, perhaps even the, leading voice of the #MeToo movement, detailing her encounters with disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, and retribution after responding to him.
Also: Tom Perez, 3:00 PM Grover Norquist & Mark Sanford, 2:30 PM Dating Game, 1:40 PM Alex Rodriguez, Ruth Zukerman, Beth Comstock, Tim Brown, Ryan Williams, 12:50 PM Alex Rodriguez, 12:10 PM Carlos Watson, 12:00 PM
Townsquare Roxane Gay, 4:40 PM Isaac Mizrahi & Christian Siriano, 4:00 PM Cindy Mi, 3:20 PM Marcus Samuelsson, 2:40 PM Beth Comstock, Tony Gonzalez, Cedric King, 2:00 PM Salman Rushdie, 1:10 PM Marcus Samuelsson, 12:10 PM
Bandshell Ground Game: What To Make of the Mid-Terms, 4:40 PM Kristen Lemaku, Grover Norquist, Art Acevedo, 4:00 PM Close Your Eyes: Hypnotherapy, 3:20 PM Ruth Zukerman, Christian Siriano, Roxane Gay, 2:40 PM Modern-Day Heroes, 1:50 PM Steven Pinker, Cindy Mi, Mike Moe, 1:00 PM How Technology Is Transforming Healthcare, 12:25 PM Cynthia Nixon, 12:00 PM

SUNDAY, JULY 22nd

The Platform Passion Pit, 6:00 PM Blowing up very fast was Cambridge, Mass’ own Passion Pit (QRO photos). Single “Sleepyhead” (QRO video) found its way to MTV nominations, while debut Manners (QRO review) found its way onto the charts – and high expectations were filled with 2012’s follow-up, Gossamer (QRO review), and single “Take a Walk” (QRO review). Catch the big-name indietronica stars (QRO photos outdoors) as they return to the road (QRO photos at a festival), ‘cause they’ve moved up to the big-time (QRO photos) like Madison Square Garden (QRO live review) and headlining festivals (QRO photos headlining a festival), and aren’t playing small places – or even medium-sized (QRO photos) anymore (QRO live review). Oh, and don’t worry about the electronic playing outdoors (QRO photos outdoors at a festival), as they more than know how to do it outside (QRO live review outdoors). They come to Ozy Fest (QRO photos at a festival) behind 2015’s release of the highly awaited Kindred (QRO review).
Michelle Wolf, 5:00 PM Comedian Michelle Wolf came up as a writer on Late Night with Seth Meyers and The Daily Show with Trevor Noah. Then came this year’s White House Correspondent’s Dinner, with a sharp mockery of the current administration that rocked the Capitol. Now she has her own weekly Netflix show, The Break with Michelle Wolf, and comes to Ozy Fest.
Grouplove, 4:10 PM In 2012 rock collective Grouplove (QRO spotlight on) have had two of the most enjoyable recent hits, “Tongue Tied” (QRO video) and “Colours” (QRO review) from the debut Never Trust a Happy Song (QRO photos at a festival). Live, they take it to another level (QRO live review), with a massive spectacle (QRO photos outdoors at a festival), and can even persevere in the rain (QRO live review in the rain) or on television (QRO live review at TV taping). The band (QRO interview) followed that up in 2013 with Spreading Rumors (QRO review) and tour (QRO live review), and singles like “I’m With You” and “Shark Attack” (QRO review). Then lead singers Hannah Hooper & Christian Zucconi (QRO interview with both) had a child, Willow – who has accompanied them on tour (QRO live review) behind 2016’s Big Mess (QRO review).
Also: Special Guest, 3:10 PM Scott Rogowsky, 2:10 PM Malcolm Gladwell, 1:10 PM Chelsea Handler & Tom Steyer, 12:10 PM Carlos Watson, 12:00 PM
Townsquare Roy Choi, 5:15 PM Roy Choi, 3:30 PM Jemele Hill, 2:40 PM Senator Kristen Gillibrand & Chelsea Handler, 2:00 PM Karl Rove, 1:00 PM Laverne Cox, Taye Diggs, Sanaa Lathan, 12:10 PM

For festival website, go here: https://www.ozy.com/ozyfest