Smithfield, RI: A town known for its forests, trails, ponds, and well, wealth. An unlikely location for a potential AI-Data Center, one may think. Yet, this rural community, despite data center construction being illegal under...
This is the story of visiting Providence’s newest Rotisserie and Bistro, Thermia, and being so intrigued by its menu and feeling so welcomed by the staff, that I went twice in one week! To give...
Check out extensive listings for every show we could find this season. But some are bigger or just fundamentally represent summer in our eclectic, hyperactive, tiny-yet-overachieving state. Here’s a selection of special events to keep...
“Industry wants us to believe the sky will fall if there’s reform," said Council President Rachel Miller. "But for working families, the sky is already falling..." Council President Rachel Miller (Ward 13) “In front of you is...
The eggplant piece featured on the cover of Motif is the first completed work in Chenlu Hou’s Garden series, making it a perfect fit for this issue’s theme of Summer. A low-fire terracotta sculpture, airbrushed and...
[See prior update: motifri.com/iran-war-update-01] The Iran war cannot continue as it is for much longer, and this is a result of simple math. Time is running out for energy and food supply US Consumer Price Index for All...
Voting is now closed -- Join us to see who was selected Wednesday, May 276 – 10pmMyrtle, East Providence Join us for the 4th annual Motif Spoken Awards! We are excited to be returning to Myrtle to celebrate RI’s spoken word...
Ann Morrison and Marcus Phillips in the National Tour of KIMBERLY AKIMBO. Photo by Joan Marcus KIMBERLY AKIMBO is a musical with a lot of heart, a lot of wit, and a lot of rave reviews...
Processed with VSCO with 6 preset When Steve DelMonico (vocals/guitar) approached John Faraone (drums) with an impossibly unique band name, there was no way of knowing that 10 years later they’d be sitting at Nolan’s with...
Photo: Dave Rezendes. John Faraone: a man of many bands, many instruments, and one poetic voice. While John wouldn’t call himself a poet, I certainly believe that his lyrics are simply stanzas waiting to be printed....
Photo by James Brooks. Okee dokee folks… I have referenced the Jethro Tull song, “Too Old to Rock & Roll, Too Young to Die,” A few times in my 22 years of writing for Motif, and...
(Photo credit: Keith J.G. McCurdy, from the cover art of Vudu Sister’s Adynata; photograph of the art installation LO SGUARDO - Humanitas - Physis by sculptor Igor Mitoraj at the Neopolis Archaeological Park of Siracusa...
Mount Pleasant. Elmhurst. The Valley Arts District. These are all neighborhoods whose offerings I thought I knew well, having worked in and around Providence over the last few years. But you can certainly miss a...
Buddy Mott. Once upon a time, if you wanted a tattoo, one of the things you could do was traipse to Newport from any of the four corners of the world and get yourself a tattoo...
The actual declaration of Independence was first proclaimed to the people of Newport from this building in July 1776. (Photo by Maureen O'Gorman) It doesn't take long for a person new to Rhode Island to find...
The RI Department of Transportation (RIDOT) announced a major initiative to repair potholes caused by a harsh winter. A new Pothole Service Requests Dashboard site on the web – https://www.dot.ri.gov/travel/potholes.php – allows the public to...
The tattoo artist who goes by Mish, of Fall River, MA, created this month’s cover. “I got the nickname when I was younger, and it just kinda stuck,” she says. Also, it stirs a little...
On the “Weekend Update” satirical news segment on Saturday Night Live. anchor Colin Jost displayed a snapshot of an unhinged rant laced with profanity in the form of a Donald Trump post to Truth Social,...
VOTING OPEN NOW! VOTE HERE Wednesday, May 276 - 10pmMyrtle, East Providence Join us for the 4th annual Motif Spoken Awards! We are excited to be returning to Myrtle to celebrate RI’s spoken word community. The live celebration,...
VOTE HERE! "May your tattoo ink never run dry," as the ancient Portlandian blessing goes, has rarely been more applicable. Motif is proud to partner again with Narragansett Brewery to bring you the RI Tattoo Awards,...
By Lillian MK Photography By Olivia Lunger By Izzy Cooke ...
The Music Awards went off without a hitch this year, and over the course of the evening more than 400 local music lovers dropped by to dance, listen, and cheer on fellow musicians. We'll have...
It’s often said (well, I definitely say this), that some of the deepest conversations and connected moments can happen while one is sitting in a car. This is certainly true for the duo, band, sisterhood...
Image: Olivia Lunger. Local Civil War re-enactor Bill Sherman was having trouble recruiting young people into the hobby, so he hit on a novel idea that is perfectly suited to Gen Z. He immediately telephoned his...
The Continental Congress, befooled. April Fool’s Day originated among the French a few years into the Revolutionary War. Thomas Jefferson and Ben Franklin had been pleading with them for any sort of assistance. The brand...
If you have been a craft beer lover over this past decade, you may remember when the first Rhode Island Brewery Passport was released. It was changed to an app in 2020. Six years later,...
After attending Chalumeau’s release party for their album BLUE at The Met in Pawtucket last August, I wrote that if you ever got the chance to see them perform live, you should jump on it....
On February 28, after 20 years of being a community staple for first dates, Super Tuesday regulars, and movie fanatics alike, CWTheaters (previously called CinemaWorld) was forced to shut its doors for good. The decline...
Last year, I had a blast and a half working on a fun commercial shoot. I landed the gig because the fella producing, Josh Kirk, asked around to find an actor to portray the client’s...
Photo: Jenn Lombari. @jennlombariphotography ssa lin has been making a local splash like a rockin’ rainstorm after a record-setting blizzard, since releasing her first single, “tallboys,” at the end of 2025. The feedback has been good,...
What’s written in the stars for you this September? Aries: You rely upon your instincts when conducting your day-to-day business. How to organize and get things done in an efficient manner becomes a priority. It’s not all business, though, as the volatile energy you’ve been dealing with lingers and gets a boost from Mars in […]
Looking forward to all of the RI beer festivals this season? Pete’s got you covered Oktoberfest season is upon us, and I don’t just mean that Sam Adams has released their much-loved, if incorrectly spelled, Octoberfest fall seasonal. The kids are going back to school, the temperature is dropping, the leaves are beginning to turn, […]
Counting down the best concerts in RI #1 Wednesday, September 4: 95.5 WBRU Presents The Dear Hunter (performing with a string quartet!). $9.95 advance / $12 day of. 7pm doors / 8pm show. All ages. The Met, 1005 Main St., Pawtucket, RI. It’s been a long time coming for the return of The Dear Hunter to their sorta’ […]
One last hurrah to summer beers and a sneak peek at what’s brewing for the fall It’s a well-known truth that great things usually come in pairs. So too is it with the Rhode Island Brew Fest Summer edition. Matt Gray and Gray Matter Marketing followed up their wildly successful winter brew fest with an […]
Tis the season to explore the hidden gems of Southern New England trails and wild life refuges That crisp chill in the night air can only mean one thing: fall is on its way! Yes, there will be pie. But there will also be leaves! Of many colors! And manic last ditch attempts to get […]
Project Ballet Coffee Hour, Newport Nutcracker at Rosecliff and more: A preview of the season’s dance For many, fall serves notice that it’s time to head back to school. But for area dancers, it means it’s time to go back to work. While most dancers savor the summer months and the opportunity to rest tired muscles […]
Visiting, here for college, or starting a new job: Your “to do in RI” guide Whenever I tell an outsider I’m from Rhode Island, I witness either (1) a glazed-over look of confusion as they ask themselves, “Is that a state?” or (2) an enormous smile as they recall the state’s beauty and culture. Inevitably […]
North Kingstown native gives back to Hasbro Hospital By 9 a.m. the temperature is already heading north of 90 degrees. But Ethan Lehnertz is undeterred. The soon-to-be middle schooler makes his way out to a massive garden next to his family’s house in North Kingstown, ready to pick. On this Saturday morning it’s tomatoes, zucchini, […]
Change coming to Cumberland Fire Departments If you need a fire engine in Cumberland, one of four separate fire departments could show up at your house, each responsible for part of the town’s 28 square miles. Each has its own board of directors, its own chief and its own taxing authority. And right now, they […]
Medical Marijuana soothing Epilepsy in young children There is a list of debilitating conditions associated with child development, which are, for the most part, currently untreatable in this country. Many of these, such as Doose Syndrome, Dravet Syndrome, Infantile Spasm Syndrome and Rett Syndrome, have some terrifying symptoms, like a variety of developmental disorders as […]
