We never cease to be amazed at the number of hidden talents present among the members of the Ranken Jordan team. On July 14, our very own Daniel Burrow (DANNO) took the stage to flawlessly embody U2’s Bono. In addition to having a great time showcasing his passion and musical skill, Daniel was intentional about using the performance as an opportunity to support the patients of Ranken Jordan Pediatric Bridge Hospital.

Two years later, it was Mark again, who presented the idea to his musician friend, to use one of his concerts as a Ranken Jordan fundraiser. For the past 23 years, Daniel Burrow has poured his passion, heart, and time into his band, U2 Hype. A lifelong musician, Dan had always enjoyed percussion and found himself doing karaoke covers of U2 songs. After the comparisons to Bono became too frequent to ignore, Daniel dyed his then long blonde hair jet black, gathered some fellow musician, and begin regularly performing as a U2 tribute band. In 2001, the band has their first big break, performing for 850 people at “Joe’s on Weed Street” on the north side of Chicago. “We had no business being in front of that many people!” Dan said. But, clearly the audience was captivated, and the story was picked up by the Chicago Sun Times the next day. Since then, the band has spent the last two decades traveling to places like Ireland and Honduras, sharing the sound and spirit of U2 with DANNO as their front man.

On Friday July 14th, U2 Hype put on a performance at St. Louis’s Diamond Music Hall. Daniel worked with the venue’s owner Jonny Kruse, our graphic designer Corey, and Lynsey from our development team, to put together a night to remember. Although they had to compete with a Post Malone concert the same evening, Daniel has no trouble captivating those who came to enjoy the music and support the cause. Daniel always ensures that his performances go behind just the sound of U2, but also their energy, stage presence, and engagement with the crowd.

Their set began with music from the “Achtung Baby” album, in connection to an upcoming music residency in Las Vegas, and ends with an assortment of U2’s greatest hits. As U2’s performances continue to grow, Dan, an unknown godfather of the tribute band scene in St. Louis, aims to continue to honor the look AND sound of the musicians he admires. He holds great value on preserving the human element in the midst of an increasingly commercialized live music culture. For Daniel, it’s always about the people, the relationships, and the sound. When we asked him why he did this, his answer was simple: “For the kids, man!”

Daniel’s fundraiser made $100 in ticket sales, $85 in donations, and $45 in t-shirt sales for a total of $230 for the concert. There are remaining T-shirts on sale for $15 and another fundraiser concert coming up in the fall! Thank you, Daniel, for using your talents to help the patient of our hospital,

Follow and support DANNO’s band on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/uelevation2

Feeling inspired? We encourage you to use the link below to follow in Daniel’s footsteps and create an event in support of Ranken Jordan!
Create Your Own Fundraiser