The Lilypad Offers Up Original Performances in Inman Square

Inman Square is just a brief walk down Cambridge Street from Harvard Square—but in that short span, a quieter atmosphere replaces the manic rush of students and tourists who usually crowd campus. And the Lilypad, a tiny performance space and art gallery at the heart of Inman, is a far cry from the frenzy of university life. The venue hosts writers, musicians, and artists and, according to its website, brings audiences “The Most Original Live Music in the World. Every night.” The Lilypad, which is indeed open daily, offers performances ranging from live music and poetry readings to film screenings and yoga classes. “The concept for the Lilypad originated in a dream that we have been trying to realize for the past ten years,” said Daniel Sarver, manager of the Lilypad. He also acknowledged the ambitious nature of the performance space’s artistic mission: “Through our existence we hope to show people that yes, this can be done.”

All of the Lilypad’s diverse events take place in a small one-room storefront off Cambridge Street, whose walls are currently covered by oceanic murals by local artist Dan Mayzee. A smattering of benches and chairs take up most of the floor space. In the front of the room, a rounded alcove holds performers, creating an acoustic space reminiscent of a radio studio. The room is sparsely furnished, but the small cash bar is well-stocked with craft beers, hard ciders, and inexpensive wines.

The Lilypad provides the community with space for unusual forms of creative expression. On a recent Wednesday, for instance, the Lilypad hosted “Keyword,” a new monthly show asking writers, musicians, and artists to contemplate a word. September’s prompt word was “ink,” and local hosts Maura Johnston and Nick Cortezi invited three writers and one musician to respond to the theme. “It’s a topic that has a lot of different connotations, like the classic psychological idea of the ink blot,” Johnston said. “You can talk about print, you can talk about tattoos, you can talk about writing, you can talk about just looking at a blot that is on your page and trying to figure out what you see in it, and I wanted these four artists to be invited here tonight to do exactly that.”

Audience member Patrick Burke, a Cambridge resident, was quite taken with the prompt: “I actually really liked the idea. It’s some of the most creative stuff you can do, so it’s cool to see where people take it. Midway through a lot of these pieces, I’m starting to think, ‘How would I have taken the prompt?’” An occasional visitor to the Lilypad, he mentioned that the venue has changed significantly since his first visit two years ago, when the space was set up as a mosh. Sarver also mentioned the Lilypad’s lack of a fixed identity. “The Lilypad is always changing,” Sarver said. “My goal is that every time someone comes in, the Lilypad will be a little different, a little better, but still feel like home.”

The interpretative performances during Ink were emblematic of the Lilypad’s taste for wide-ranging creative expression. The venue’s typical musical offerings are heavy on jazz, but not explicitly tied to any particular genre. Daily live music can come in the form of a band’s album release, a Sunday jazz jam, or a solo folk rock performance. “Our programming is based on presenting music or art to the community that we think is important, relevant, and interesting regardless of genre and style,” Sarver said.

—Staff writer Rebecca H. Dolan can be reached at rebecca.dolan@thecrimson.com.