By Lillian MK Photo. RI Battle of the Bands had a smooth run this year, every performance dodging the monsoons that have plagued past iterations. The year started out with 16 highly accomplished, but not necessarily...
Okee dokee folks… I mentioned this in my column a few months ago and now it is coming close to being (IS) a major issue. GASOLINE. Before the mango moron started his war of distraction...
We all know that women were the first to make beer, right? It was discovered by accident when grains were used to make other foods digestible. Dried grain was stored and used to make bread....
Haunted Attractions 1. Factory of Terror Terror experience for all ages, including a variety of imaginative themes and thorough design. 120 Pearl Street, Fall River, MA 774-415-0153 factoryofterror.com 2. Scary Acres Fall festivities with the main attraction - a three-part terror experience...
Cover artist Nilton Cárdenas of Cranston refuses to stand still. “I am constantly moving, and creating art,” he says in an interview at Sharks Peruvian Cuisine on Broad Street in Central Falls. And when he’s not...
Photos by the author. Magda León is more than a multidisciplinary artist; she is an immigrant woman who uses art to explore her identity, her roots, and her connection to community. When I asked her how...
Photo by Scott Lapham. For the Rhode Island artist, educator and muralist, creativity has become a way to open doors, strengthen community and help others discover possibilities within themselves. For Nilton Cárdenas, giving back does not begin...
Every Hispanic Heritage Month, we are given an opportunity to look back.We celebrate the pioneers who came before us, the traditions they preserved, the institutions they built, and the sacrifices they made so generations that...
Photo by Dave Cantelli. Ever rummaged through your spouse’s sweater drawer expecting to find argyles, yet instead stumbling across a secret fetish so utterly demented that it immediately sent you bolting toward a new life? Deftly...
Rachael Warren as Clare. Photo by Mark Turek. If there is such a thing as too much of a good thing, The Getaway Driver at Trinity Repertory Company is it. The world premiere of the two-person play...
Photo by Jesse Dufault. Hark, spectators of the realm! If thy soul doth hunger for a "reverent irreverence" turning a 77-seat black box into a roaring arena of wretched romance, get thee to the Burbage Theatre...
RI Music Hall of Fame plaque honoring Rudy Cheeks/The Fabulous Motels/The Young Adults. (Photo: Michael Bilow) Much has already been written on the passing Sep 18 at age 76 of Bruce McCrae, who used the stage name...
Crook Point Brewing Company, 65 Massasoit Ave., East Providence; photo credit: Sean Carlson Over the past year, The Grind has gleamed as one of Rhode Island’s coffee gems. Set up at Crook Point Brewing Company (65...
Natasha Hodgson in the Broadway Company of Operation Mincemeat. Photo by Matt Crockett. The Tony Award® and Olivier Award®-winning musical launches the North American leg of its world tour at the Providence Performing Arts Center September...
Hunter Brown, Allie Seibold, and Seth Eliser in You've Still Got a Friend, playing at Bill Hanney's Theatre By The Sea from August 20 - September 13, 2026. Photo by Michael Derr Okee dokee folks… Tonight, at Theatre By The...
Photo by Steve Ahlquist. The unionized workers of the Community Libraries of Providence have been without a contract for two years now. Their patience, which had been wearing thin, was stretched to the breaking point by...
Photo: L-R: Pénélope Rose, Manya Glassman, Emeline Easton, and K. Elisa Garcia. by Mike Ryan. The Rhode Island International Film Festival, also known as Flickers, took place August 4 through August 9, bringing filmmakers, actors, industry...
I think museums and the culture around them have historically gotten a bad rap. When you think of museums, you might associate them with classism, inaccessibility, and wealthy donors and patrons. There’s also the issue...
As the leaves change to amber hues, so do fall beers. Our local brewers are excited about the opportunity to offer these loved styles of craft beer. If you are looking forward to cozy sweaters...
Illustration by Sadie Levine. 1. Adams Farm (pumpkins, hay rides, corn mazes) Plus: Variety fall farm stand 158 Burnt Swamp Road, Cumberland 401-714-4425 2. Appleland Orchard (apples) Plus: Cider, wine, and donuts 135 Smith Avenue, Greenville 401-949-3690 3. Barden Family Orchard (apples, pumpkins) Plus: Farmers...
Okee dokee folks… I just realized that I have been attending concerts for 50 years now. In that span of time I have seen countless shows. I honestly have no idea how many I have...
Moon Leone didn’t set out to make your run-of-the-mill pop songs. They build whole worlds, embodying different characters and using visuals to tell stories that ultimately help people heal from trauma. Performing as YourFriendM00n, they...
On August 12, Motif cohosted a forum on the Arts in Providence featuring Democratic Primary Mayoral candidates Brett Smiley and David Morales. In Providence, the real election typically happens in the primary. The winner will go...
Every election cycle, Motif brings you the candidates in their own words so you can try to compare apples to apples. It’s our way of contributing to the political process while not having the fact-checking...
Environmental Organizations Endorse Foulkes for Governor PROVIDENCE — The Providence Streets Coalition, a grassroots activist organization devoted to increasing funding, safety, and reliability in the state’s transit network, announced July 21 that it is backing former...
For the cover of Motif’s Fall Guide, painter and muralist Nicholas “Niko” Tolentino of Cranston drew inspiration from his childhood days, he relates in an interview at White Electric Coffee Co-Op in Providence. Roger Williams Park...
Centerville Bank Stadium in Pawtucket hosted its first live music event in August. It started big with the Island Roads Fest, featuring popular reggae/ rock bands including Sublime, Slightly Stoopid, Iration, Action Bronson, DENM, Bumpin...
Stepping into a tattoo convention without a tattoo or an array of piercings can be intimidating, like stepping into a gallery show without reading the title first. Aside from a pair of basic ear studs,...
August 12, 6:30 - 8:30 PM Southside Cultural Center - 393 Broad Street, Providence What do the candidates for Mayor of Providence have in mind for the future of arts engagement in the “Creative Capital”? Find...
Can art by Joey Visco Dogs and drafts? Is there any better way to celebrate yappy hour? If you are an animal and craft beer lover, this is an event you do not want to miss!...
While the winter solstice may be behind us, the coldest days are yet to come. And with the frigid air comes a different kind of cold: stuffy nose, sore throat, hacking coughs, and those headaches that make your head feel like a bowling ball. When I’m sick, there’s one food I crave above all others […]
It may seem that walking is merely obsolete transportation, superseded by faster, drier, effortless means. But never indulging in a good walk may be a fate more sad than never knowing the joy of a satisfying meal. Cheap and available in at least some way to almost everybody, walking is a precious opportunity to examine […]
Anthony Russo is a freelance illustrator living in Little Compton. His clients include the New York Times, Washington Post, Boston Globe, The New Yorker, The New Republic, Esquire, Random House, LA Times, Vanity Fair and others. Russo’s illustrations have brought him awards from Communication Arts, American Illustration, the Society of Illustrators, Graphis Annual, Society of […]
In 2021 and 2022, RI recorded 435 and 434 overdose fatalities respectively. 2023 saw a partial decrease of 7.3% to 404. This statistic can be misleading, insinuating that the futile “war on drugs” we have been waging since the ‘80’s is slowly being won. But overdoses and illicit drug use are two very different beasts. […]
2025, a new year full of new resolutions. Most often these have to do with some sort of self-improvement: picking up new hobbies, learning new skills, developing better, healthier habits. Whatever they may be, there are smart ways to achieve goals. Literally “smart.” Those in the helping professions like therapy, social work, and counseling use […]
I’ve been living in the West End of Providence for a few years now and one of my favorite things to do is to explore the neighborhood for small adventures and good eats. Fortunately, it is not a difficult task to find some good food to enjoy, since there are quite a few culinary offerings […]
Dudemanbro, Live From The Rhode Compiled of live performances from throughout The Ocean State, Live From The Rhode is a welcome release from South County’s favorite reggae group, Dudemanbro. Anyone who has already seen the group live is well aware of their tight, energetic performances, and on top of frontman Kyle Bell’s stellar vocals and […]
Girls & Boys is a one-woman production by British playwright Dennis Kelly, directed by Rachel Walshe, that unleashes a tale of love, marriage, and family violence as told from the perspective of an unnamed woman. It’s a powerful and unflinching exploration of love’s highs and lows. Brace yourself for a neat mix of humor and […]
MJ IS STARTIN’ SOMETHIN’ AT THE PROVIDENCE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER Michael Jackson’s iconic music and signature moves are taking the PPAC stage next week, Tuesday, January 21 through Sunday, January 26. The four-time Tony Award-winning musical MJ offers an insider’s perspective of the artistry that catapulted Michael Jackson to international superstardom and legendary status. MJ […]
You’ve never had a history lesson like it and if you’ve managed to avoid the “Hamilton” buzz for the last nine years – or you’ve been missing the punchy tunes since the show’s last stop in Providence – here’s your shot. The touring production of the smash Lin Manuel-Miranda hit musical is at the Providence […]
