The CLog
Indie rock journeyman John Nolan is no stranger to fans of emotional alternative rock. From his early days as guitarist/co-vocalist of Warped Tour darlings Taking Back Sunday to his turn as ringleader of the mellow, piano-driven Straylight Run, Nolan has spent the past decade writing the kind of songs that save lonely teenagers. Somewhere in between rejoining Taking Back Sunday, seven years after their acrimonious split, and starting a family, Nolan found the time to start a solo career. Eschewing the angst of TBS and the elegant pop of Straylight Run, Nolan's solo output finds him getting weirder, something he couldn't afford to do with his other bands. From covering Justin Bieber's "Baby" to releasing several collaborative and live EPs, Nolan is rewriting what his audience has come to expect from him. Garnishing his songs with electronic flourishes and drum machine beats, Nolan's music has taken a darker, stranger tone than most of his fans would have thought possible. One has to hope that he'll eventually go back to writing the kind of straight-forward pop rock songs that he cut his teeth on, but until then we're left with an amazing artist who challenges both himself and his audience. $10. March 20, 10:30 p.m.The Evening Muse, 3227 N. Davidson St. 704-376-3737.
