Photos and review by: Jason Robey

CHARLOTTE, NC — The one-man-band known as The Bones of JR Jones brought his awe-inspiring show to The Evening Muse, in the hip, artsy NoDa neighborhood on Friday night. Though he had originally planned on bringing a full band for the night’s show, tonight’s performance ended up being solo. The intimate environment at The Evening Muse lends itself to a storyteller show, allowing the man behind the project, Johnathon Robert Linaberry, to chat with the audience and talk about some of the songs.

Though the evening’s show was solo, it was not necessarily acoustic or quiet. For many songs, Linaberry played an overdriven electric guitar, while singing and playing a drum kit with his feet. His opening number, “The Drop,” set the bar for a night of blues-tinted indie rock, with a stomping kick drum chugging electric guitar.

As the evening continued, Linaberry switched between electric and acoustic guitars, sometimes sitting at his drum kit, other times standing in the open. As the night wore on, he added a harmonica to the mix and traded his guitar for a banjo for a few songs. He kept the audience on their toes all night, covering material from all four of his releases, as well as a couple of yet-to-be-recorded originals, and an inspired cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “Atlantic City.” Whether solo or with a full band, The Bones of JR Jones is an act that will not disappoint.