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2018 Bunbury Music Festival Rocked Out Cincinnati

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The Bunbury Festival took place this past weekend in Cincinnati, OH. The crowds were large, the weather was hot and more importantly the air was full of music! There were a total of four stages setup along the Cincinnati riverfront where music lovers were able to sit back and enjoy some of their favorite artists all while making lifelong memories.

Friday

Fans braved the mid-day heat to catch the Front Bottoms on Friday afternoon. They pleased the crowd with songs like (The Beers) and (Vacation Town) but the crowd lost their mind when Tom Warren (lead singer and guitar) said, “the last time I played Bunbury I got so messed up, I had to get an IV, let’s do it again!”

Cincinnati’s own Lauren Eylise performed on the acoustic stage and her voice and passion had onlookers in awe.  She’s definitely making her mark in the Queen City. Fitz and The Tantrums turned the heat up by engaging the crowd with handclaps, sing a longs and bringing the type of energy that makes them perfect for these types of festivals.

After a thirty minute rain delay Young The Giant got the party jumping again by performing some of their hits and announcing that they are releasing a new song in July but the party REALLY started when birthday cakes were brought out and the crowd sang happy birthday to bassist, Payam Doostzadeh. The Chain Smokers closed out Friday night with an electric performance that had the speakers thumping and the crowd dancing.

 

Saturday

Misterwives brought a lot of energy and passion to the stage Saturday with their performance on the Sawyer Stage. The whole crowd endured the Cincinnati heat and danced and sang along with every song from their set.

 Crowds enjoyed the riverfront view while taking in Magic Giant’s performance. Their set was more laid back which gave people a chance to relax a bit before being mesmerized by Third Eye Blind who rocked Cincinnati with a strong performance.

Pounding basslines, smooth saxophone tunes and colorful graphics are the best way to describe GRiZ’s performance Saturday night.

He definitely got the night jumping as fans danced and screamed along to his music. Incubus was the band that most people came to see Saturday night and they did not disappoint! The sea of fans stretched far and wide as they sung along to the group’s timeless hits. Their performance sent a message that Incubus STILL has “it” and that thy know how to put on a show!

 

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BET MEDIA GROUP HONORED BLACK LGBTQ+ TRAILBLAZER WITH A POWERFUL NIGHT OF CELEBRATION, CULTURE AND COMMUNITY

FROM BOB THE DRAG QUEEN’S GROUNDBREAKING RECOGNITION TO HOPE GISELLES’S INSPIRING REMARKS– THE 3RD ANNUAL BET BLACK + ICONIC SOIREE HIGHLIGHTED THE BRILLIANCE AND IMPACT OF BLACK LGBTQ+ LEADERS

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(New York, NY)– May 28, 2025 – The 3rd Annual BET Black + Iconic Soirée made its Washington, D.C debut with inspiring evening celebrating the past, present, and future of black LGBTQ+ excellence. The 2025 theme, “Excellence Ascending,” paid tribute to cultural change makers leading with authenticity, courage and purpose.

Hosted by entertainment journalist and Access Hollywood anchor Scott Evans, the Soirée gathered trailblazers across activism, arts, business, and media for a powerful evening of storytelling , performance, and legacy-building.

Highlights from the BET Black + Iconic Soriée Included:
  • Ashlee Davis, J.D. received the Executive Realness Award for her trailblazing work in civil rights leadership, including her legacy of impact across government and corporate sectors.
  • Hope Giselle, a powerful advocate and author was named Emerging leader for her unrelenting work championing visibility and inclusion for Black trans communities.
  • Kierra Johnson, Executive Director of the National LGBTQ Task Force, was honored as Active Advocate for her decades of leadership advancing reproductive justice and LGBTQ+ rights.
  • Ashlee Marie Preston, a nationally recognized activist and media strategist, accepted the Creative Visionary Award, saluted for using her voice to shift narratives and build intergenerational coalitions.
  • Bob the Drag Queen, Emmy-winning entertainer and global icon, received the Culture Trailblazer Award, closing the evening with a heartfelt speech about identity, freedom, legacy.
  • The Center for Black Equity and the Take Resource Center each received $5,000 through the BET Thrive Fund Recognition, honored for their work advancing Black LGBTQ+ wellness, equity and community organizing.

The night also featured a soul-stirring medley performance by Broadway powerhouse Avery Wilson, fresh off stage from The Wiz revival. Presenters included Eva Marcille (All The Queen’s Men, BET+), Carter The Body (All The Queen’s Men, BET+), Bryan Terrell Clark (Diarra from Detroit, BET+), and Arrington Foster (The Family Business, BET+), each bringing star power and heartfelt tributes to the evening’s honorees.

“From the very beginning, we knew this couldn’t be just another event,” said Tiyale Hayes, EVP of Insights and Multiplatform Analytics and Co-Lead of Social Impact at BET, During his opening remarks. “It had to an intentional space to uplift stories too often silenced and celebrate contributions that have shaped the world in powerful ways.”

The evening also spotlighted Gilead Sciences, a long standing partner of the BET Black + Iconic Soirée. Gilead’s Rashad Burgess, Vice President of U.S. Advocacy and Health Equity, emphasized and the importance of equitable healthcare access, visibility, and long-term impact for Black LGBTQ+ communities.

Additionally, the event welcomed Truth Initiative as a new partner of the BET Black + Iconic Soirée. Dr. Kendrick Dartis, Vice president of Outreach and Engagement, addressed the urgent issue of tobacco use in Black and LGBTQ+ communities and emphasized the need for culturally relevant cessation support. He also announced a $5,000 BET Thrive Fund donation, sponsored by Truth Initiative, to Us Helping Us– a D.C.- based non profit dedicated to advancing health equity.

BET Black + Iconic Soirée stands as defining moment in the 45th anniversary year of the media group– underscoring its mission to center Black culture, honor its LGBTQ+ communities, and drive meaningful, measurable impact.

Join the conversation using #BlackAndIconic and relieve the nights most powerful moments on BET’s official social channels. The Televised premiere date and time will be announced at a later date.

ABOUT BET MEDIA GROUP

The BET Media Group, a unit of Paramount (NASDAQ:PARAA;PARA), is the worlds largest media company dedicated too entertaining, engaging, and empowering the Black community and championing Black culture. Connecting Back audiences through a portfolio of brands including BET, BET+, BET Gospel, BET HER, BET International, BET Jams, BET Soul, BET Studios, and VH1, the BET Media Group is thriving media ecosystem of leading interconnected platforms across cable TV, streaming, digital, studios, live events and international. For more information about BET, visit www.bet.com and follow @BET on social platforms. For more BET news announcements visit bet pressroom.com.

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