Saturday, February 21, 2026 at 9:00 PM EDT

Rosalie

Coming from New York City, this NYC-based artist brings an intimate, emotionally charged live set to Cafe Nine. Blending moody electronic textures with vulnerable songwriting, her sound lives in the space between late-night introspection and quiet intensity. Her latest release, “a silent prayer,” reflects themes of solitude, transformation, and self-reckoning — music made for dim rooms and close listening. Fresh off the pulse of the New York underground, she arrives in New Haven.

Slow Funeral

Slow Funeral is the alias of South Carolina-based musician Mary Norris. In 2020, she recorded a demo of “I Loved You In Another Life” in her room with a limited version of Ableton Live and two microphones. After releasing it on Bandcamp, SC-local The Old Earthquake heard the demo and was moved, requesting to produce a fuller version. Norris then released the song as Slow Funeral’s first single, marking the beginning of an artistry defined by resourcefulness, tenacity, and abraded lyrical and musical vulnerability. She set out to record her debut album, funded by three different arts grants and crowdfunding, and began performing with a band in 2022.

Performing as a 4-piece, Slow Funeral has been making early impact in the Southeast, selling out shows in her home state and touring beyond. Slow Funeral has already shared the stage with acts like Slothrust, Babe Haven, owen (Mike Kinsella of American Football), Chase Petra, Pinkshift, and more recently was selected to perform pre-shows for Weezer/Flaming Lips/Dinosaur Jr. and Linkin Park at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, SC. Her alt-rock project is a marriage of her 90s influences, such as Radiohead, The Cranberries, and Jeff Buckley, paired with her Americana roots, such as Jason Isbell, Bruce Springsteen, and John Prine.

Norris worked with producer Corey Campbell on her debut album, Conditions of Trust, after being awarded community/project grants through Chapman Cultural Center, The Metropolitan Arts Council, and The South Carolina Arts Commission. Released on May 9th, 2025, the album details Norris’s experiences growing up and living in poverty in the south, along with topics of abuse, patriarchy, heartbreak, queer identity, and healing. Since going viral multiple times throughout her album cycle, Slow Funeral has been steadily building a passionate fanbase and creating a space for others to feel and be seen.

Esmer

Esmer is the primary alias of vocalist and producer, Justin Esmer. A native to New Haven, Esmer combines wit-peppered lyrics and smooth baritone vocals, blurring the lines between alt rock, r&b, hip-hop, and jazz. His writing reflects on vulnerability, relationships, and depression. Led by Esmer, he fronts his band with dreamy electric guitar and harmonies. He is backed up by Mekhi Banks (bass), Brooke Dougan/Cam Hall (guitar), Ben Bailis (keys), and Joe Bruno (drums).

$12 ADVANCED / $15 AT THE DOOR

21+

DOORS AT 8 PM