Students will get to listen to a variety of music tonight performed by ex-BoDean keyboardist, Susan Julian, at Diversions Coffee House at NIU.

Susan Julian was keyboardist for the BoDeans band in 1986 and 1987, and has been pursuing a solo singing career since 1988.

For tonight’s performance, she will be singing and playing keyboards and will be backed up by a guitarist, bassist, and a drummer.

Julian, a native of the Chicago area, was living in the Milwaukee area when she was “discovered” by Sammy Llanas, a member of the BoDeans, while she was playing keyboards at a small club.

She went on to play keyboards on the BoDeans’ album “Home” and went on tour with them when the band opened up for U2 in 1987. “She learned a lot when she went on tour with the band,” said David Koppel, Julian’s agent.

“She (Julian) is influenced by musicians such as Bonnie Raitt, Marvin Gaye and John Hiat,” Koppel said.

In performance, Julian sings everything from rock songs, such as “Ignorance” to Caribbean influenced songs, such as “No One Sleeping Yet,” and ties them in with occasional covers by the Neville Brothers and others.

Julian left the BoDeans in 1988 to pursue a solo career. She currently is shopping around for a recording deal and has remained friends with her former band.

“It is coincidental that she got her start in a coffee house and that her show at NIU is also in the Coffee House,” Koppel said. “I think it should be a real good environment to listen to her music.”

Julian will perform at 7:30 p.m. Admission is free.