Artists Create Sound And Vision At Cafe Nine

Music and visual art both went live Wednesday night at Cafe Nine when Color in Sound, an event organized and curated by local artist Andres Madariaga, brought together three musical acts and a number of visual artists, some who displayed their work, some who created art while the bands played, and some who did both. 

The idea for the event began with Madariaga going to music venues and getting ​“inspired by the music,” he said. He would go home and want to paint afterward, wishing he could have painted ​“at the moment” instead. He started doing some music-related art — painting and screen printing mostly. One specific piece, titled Heart of Glass, was inspired by Deborah Harry of Blondie, who Madariaga saw at Mohegan Sun a few years ago. That piece, along with a poem he had written about David Bowie, ended up inspiring the event at Cafe Nine. Hanging on the wall to the right of the bar on Wednesday, it depicted a hand holding a heart filled with flowers in the center of a number of photos of Harry. 

Madariaga said it was about the ​“connection of reaching out to music, to art, to love, and the idea that love is not just romantic. It’s everywhere.”

Canvases were set up throughout the bar on both floor and table top easels. Anyone was invited to paint or draw if the music inspired them.

“I think everyone is an artist,” Madariaga said.

The artists whose work was up on the walls were people Madariaga met at other events throughout the city. He recently curated an event at Atelier Florian called Catapalooza, which raised money for the Greater New Haven Cat Project (where he has volunteered for years). He loved that it raised money for the project and ​“brought people together.”

“That’s what I am going through as an artist right now,” he said. ​“For me, art is more community based. How can we move other people to think about ideas but also issues? Not just artists, but everybody else?”

Wednesday brought people together as a steady flow of attendees came into the bar. Conversations flowed while artists set up their wares. A few had items to sell, like Madariaga’s screen-printed tote bags. Photographer Natalia Paluchniak had many of her photos on a table, some of her friends performing in or near Storrs and one of a show at the Nine. Her Disco Mama photo hung above that table, along with a painting by Eduardo Alvarez called Musical Ascension and one by Anna Mastropolo called The Best Place to Be.

A large piece made of acrylic yarn called Mix Tape by Lila P. Khan hung in the window near the bar’s neon Fernet sign, basking in its glow, while artist Tess Schober set up her drawing of Patti Smith that she was ready to add to. Schober also had a painting on the other side of the venue under two framed photos by Andianna Jones, one of The Problem with Kids Today and the other of Miracle Legion. A multimedia piece by Alvarez stood one the ledge flanked by Mafid Bohaquez’s painting Ethereal Solstice and Elijah’s drawing called Dr. Bloom. Each piece offered its own individual vibe but collectively offered a fresh perspective of the world. And there was more art to be made. Both Schober and artist Tina Sarno began painting during the soundchecks while around them attendees watched and admired.

The first act to hit the stage was the New Haven-based Renée Luna. She and guitarist Clancy Emanual received cheers form the get go.

“I think 90 percent of the room knows both of us,” she said with a smile. During the three-song set she added that she was singing songs by ​“badass women.”

“Those are the only songs allowed on my stage tonight,” she said to a round of applause. Those women included Natalia Lafourcade and her songs ​“Lo Que Construimos,” about the ​“end of a relationship,” and ​“La Malquerida,” about an ​“unloved woman.” They also performed ​“Holding Me Down” by Danielle Ponder. The two offered these covers with soulful and sensuous harmonies and delicate strings, much to the delight of the crowd. 

Luna then handed the stage over to Emanuel for two songs, one of which was a stepped-up version of the Beatles’ ​“Blackbird”that actually got a few fans down in front dancing along. 

The final act to the stage was New Haven’s Cherrie Cherrie. Guitarist and vocalist Tor said they would be playing ​“all originals” before introducing the band, which included Oriana on fiddle and vocals, Ben on bass and vocals, and Johnny on drums. She noted that she used to sing with her twin sister, who moved away, so she ​“gathered all of these wonderful people to play with me and I love them.”

The crowd loved them too, dancing throughout the set and offering them some of the loudest applause and cheers I have heard in a while. The music was vibrant, fun, and hopeful, including a song about purple hair and one about ​“finding something that really give you a rush but you know it might not be good for you.”

The painting continued throughout all the band sets, and new participants took over when others were done. Even Madariaga took part and ended up fulfilling his wish of capturing a band — Cherrie Cherrie — while they were playing. It was yet another event in New Haven this past year where an artist had a wish to bring creative and like-minded individuals together to create alongside one another and made it happen quite successfully. If the vibe in the room was any indication, more was yet to come. 

The art from Wednesday’s event will be on display at Cafe Nine for the next month. Please visit Andres Madariaga’s Instagram page for a full list of artists involved and for information about any future events.