Rough Draft is a coffee shop in Hillsdale. Courtesy | Facebook
Rough Draft is hosting live music nights on the weekends in January and February.
“We started it as another way to bring together the town and the college, which is a big goal of our founders,” said barista and Hillsdale College senior Anna Grace Russell. “It’s a great way to spice up the shop culture as well, and we have so much space for it that we can utilize.”
Performers include solo artists, jazz groups, and bands, according to Rough Draft barista and senior Nikoleta Klikovac.
“We bring back a lot of old regular performers like Tuition and Fees, and we’ve brought in new talent like Hillsgaelic,” Klikovac said. “I’ve even had to turn people away from performing.”
Klikovac said Rough Draft hosted live music nights before the COVID-19 shutdowns, and about two years ago, decided to reinstate the event.
“First, we just had live jazz from whoever was willing to play,” Klikovac said. “Then Brianna Lambrecht, who graduated last year, took over since she was Phi Mu Alpha sweetheart and heavily involved in music. She started reaching out to students and local artists to perform. Once she left, I was passed the torch.”
One of the artists, junior Rachel Houts, said she likes the opportunity to perform at a non-college sponsored event.
“I love that Rough Draft is separate from any kind of class or Hillsdale sponsored event because it feels like you’re getting a taste of the music the performer actually listens to,” Houts said. “I love how much live music the college organizes for us, but I think some people feel pressure to play hits at some of these events. That’s just not the case at Rough Draft.”
Houts said she appreciates the freedom to try new styles and perform songs that complement her voice.
“The expectation isn’t that you’re playing music other people know, or music for dancing, so you get to try out new songs that are sometimes less common,” Houts said. “I tend to pick songs that are very singer-songwriter, and I love incorporating music from a wide timeframe. I think that style of music suits my voice much better than rock does.”
Because of the calm, relaxing environment of Rough Draft, performing is often less nerve-racking, Houts said.
“I love playing at Rough Draft because it’s so low pressure,” Houts said. “Most of the people there are at least familiar to you, and it makes the whole experience so much fun.”
Beyond exploring styles, Houts said the laid-back scene at Rough Draft also allows artists to perform their own originals and introduce new pieces to the public for the first time.
“There are so many talented musicians on the campus, and it’s always fascinating to see the kind of music they want to play,” Houts said. “I also think it’s great for music discovery; some of my current favorites I heard first at Rough Draft.”
Performances are held on Fridays and some Saturdays from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. through the end of February, according to Rough Draft’s Instagram page.
“We like to keep things interesting and give all types of artists an opportunity to play,” Russell said.