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CHOP: June 17, 2020

Dan Ray June 21, 20202 Comments
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CHOP: June 17, 2020 June 21, 20202 Comments

Raised by a single mother in the suburbs of Detroit, Dan discovered an early passion for singing, songwriting, and the arts as a whole. She got her BA in English and music at the University of Michigan, where she reported for the school’s paper, The Michigan Daily. She worked as a Senior News Reporter on the government beat, transitioned to arts writing, and eventually became the managing editor of the social media department. She moved to Seattle in 2017. After losing her job during the COVID-19 pandemic and discouraged about the lack of press surrounding Seattle’s music scene, Dan made the decision to turn Dan’s Tunes, a fully fledged music journalism website focused on showcasing the Seattle area’s musicians, into its own startup. There’s so much music happening in the city that spawned Pearl Jam, Nirvana, and Jimi Hendrix — among others — and Dan’s Tunes is determined to find and expose those outstanding acts. The goal is to have satellites in every major US city, uplifting diverse and compelling voices and helping music communities thrive. In 2020, Dan was featured in the Seattle Times’s year-end music critic poll. Other than her musical endeavors (singing, playing ukulele, and auditioning for American Idol four times before the age of 24) Ray is passionate about food and education around the American food system, and she’s also a large proponent of eliminating the stigma around mental health. Ray loves cats, especially her own, who is named Macaulay Culkin (but she’s a lady).

Protestors gather in front of an altar dedicated to lives lost to police brutality. // Photo by Brian McDonald

Since we last visited, the CHAZ has been renamed to the Capitol Hill Organized Protest (CHOP) to remind protestors that while the CHOP is a loving, fun environment, it’s still a protest. Speakers encourage visitors to the CHOP to learn and support each other. Cal Anderson Park is now filled with tents, food stations, and educational talks.

Black Ends frontwoman Nicolle Swims opens for Julia Francis's EP release show.
Black End's sophomore EP, Stay Evil, dropped on July 15, 2020.
Black Ends dubs itself "gunk pop," a dirty, distorted combination of grunge and pop.
Swims coos into the mic.
The four songs on Stay Evil ride the waves of gunk pop, from the grungey drawl of "Monday Mourning" to the intricate drum beats on "Live in the Sea."
In honor of the release of Stay Evil, Swims was the featured guest on Dan's Tunes's June podcast.
Julia Francis takes the stage.
Tonight's show celebrated the release of When You Get What You Want, Francis's first drop in over 12 years.
When You Get What You Want is a three-track, 13-minute soul project.
Francis is supported by Evan Flory Barnes on bass (left) and Darren Loucas on guitar (right).
All proceeds from the show went to Black Lives Matter Seattle-King County.
A lifelong and self-taught musician, Francis projects her powerful vocals across The Royal Room.
All photos by Brian McDonald

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Raised by a single mother in the suburbs of Detroit, Dan discovered an early passion for singing, songwriting, and the arts as a whole. She got her BA in English and music at the University of Michigan, where she reported for the school’s paper, The Michigan Daily. She worked as a Senior News Reporter on the government beat, transitioned to arts writing, and eventually became the managing editor of the social media department. She moved to Seattle in 2017. After losing her job during the COVID-19 pandemic and discouraged about the lack of press surrounding Seattle’s music scene, Dan made the decision to turn Dan’s Tunes, a fully fledged music journalism website focused on showcasing the Seattle area’s musicians, into its own startup. There’s so much music happening in the city that spawned Pearl Jam, Nirvana, and Jimi Hendrix — among others — and Dan’s Tunes is determined to find and expose those outstanding acts. The goal is to have satellites in every major US city, uplifting diverse and compelling voices and helping music communities thrive. In 2020, Dan was featured in the Seattle Times’s year-end music critic poll. Other than her musical endeavors (singing, playing ukulele, and auditioning for American Idol four times before the age of 24) Ray is passionate about food and education around the American food system, and she’s also a large proponent of eliminating the stigma around mental health. Ray loves cats, especially her own, who is named Macaulay Culkin (but she’s a lady).