Rachael Warren as Diana. Photo by Mark Turek. The Next to Normal audience is exposed to waves of raw emotions drowning your soul and dampening your eyes. You may wish you had premedicated with any of...
Blaq Sav. Photos by Lillian MK Photography. Favorite Free Verse Spoken Word 2026 Ashley Hosa Sending out a big congrats to Ashley Hosa, who came to the Spoken Awards with a multitude of wonderful supporters (shoutout to Ryan!)....
The founder of the long-standing hipster-ish West Side restaurant Julians hadn’t been involved directly with the restaurant in quite some time. But his legacy persisted. A larger-than-life personality, you never knew at what event Julian...
Renowned supporter of local music and arts Lisa Gourley (Sometimes Lisa Gourleyx) passed away on June 15. Reading reactions on social media, you can’t help but notice how often the words “nice,” “kind,” and “photography”...
This beautiful Solstice moment, June 21, 2026 brings the winds of change into our lives. The pivotal points among the planetary movers and shakers of the Zodiac find Gemini, with Uranus and Ceres, reaching across...
By Olivia Lunger By Lillian MK Photography ...
Favorite Color Tattoo Evan Olin, Powerline Tattoo Runner-up: Luis Bold, Unicorn Ink Favorite Black & Gray Ryan Dowden, Dark Ritual Runner-up: Luis Bold, Unicorn Ink Favorite Black & Gray with Color Steven McDonough, Secret Safe Tattoo Runner-up: Rachel WS, Rachel WS Fine Art...
By Lillian MK Photography By Olivia Lunger ...
Photo by Lillian MK Photography. Favorite Free Verse Spoken Word Ashley HosaRunner-up: Jeff Daniellian Favorite Social Justice Spoken Word Erik AndradeRunner-up: Mx Asher Favorite Youth Poet Angel CruzRunner-up: (by one vote) Josselyn Wolf Favorite Poetry Event Apothica's Monthly Poetry NightRunner-up: Afroverse Favorite...
Congratulations, you survived the record-breaking Blizzard of 2026. With the anticipated arrival of clear skies and warm temps, how will you be spending your well-earned, much-needed downtime this summer? If you’re adventurous, you could explore some of...
Artwork by Bob Eggleton. Godzilla has been a cinematic icon for over 70 years. However, there are important themes around the monster that have gotten lost with international audiences. There is no gigantic monster that has had...
Tie-dye by Spun Laundry. BEACHES Atlantic Beach Park: Family beach, amusements, kiddy rides, snack bars, antique 1915 carousel, batting cages, bumper boats, go-carts, mini golf, game room, waterslides, gift shop, beachware and an ocean-view cocktail lounge. 321...
Photos by Lillian Karboski. Every time you listen to a song, there is always something more than the words or catchy melody. On Friday, May 1, right in the heart of downtown Providence, an extraordinary group...
Okee dokee folks… Rising costs of everything is what’s on my mind this month. It really should be on everyone’s mind. The main things I will talk about here are gasoline and concert tickets. One...
Photo: Christopher Mongeau. Ravi Shavi, a band that has been around since 2011 and started as a moniker for Rafay Rashid’s music project, has evolved and become more rooted in its creative approach and performance, as...
“Can I go to X?” is the question 2 Feet 2 Bucks has answered with “Yes” dozens of times, where X = place worth going out of your way to, to take a walk, short...
We sat down a few months ago with one of the organizers of RI’s Deportation Defense Line. The Defense Line’s origins are organic and multifaceted. No one person is in charge of it. No one...
Artist of the Year: Favorite Song: Favorite Music Video: NOVA ONE; "chlorine" by NOVA ONE; "chlorine" - NOVA ONE (Dir. Frankie Ferrari) nova one: “nova won!” Providence’s own nova one won (!!) four 2026 Motif Music Awards: “artist...
Photo by Matthew Murphy. The North American tour of Disney’s The Lion King last played the Providence Performing Arts Center in 2017. After nearly ten years, The Lion King is back astounding Providence for a limited...
“Judge not, that ye be not judged” (Matthew 7:1). This is the core theme behind William Shakespeare's darkest comedy, Measure for Measure, one of Shakespeare’s most exciting, underperformed and underappreciated plays, currently presented by Burbage...
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....
RI law (§17-12.1-1) ordinarily requires the presidential preference primary election to be held on the fourth Tuesday in April of each presidential election year, but in 2024 that would fall on the first day of the Jewish holiday of Passover (Pesach), the day immediately following the Seder held the prior sunset. An eight-day holiday in […]
Motif’s RI Bartender Ball is a chance to celebrate the incredible people who keep our glasses full from behind the bar. There is an awards ceremony with categories ranging from Favorite Cocktail Bartender, Bartender as Therapist, Local Icon, to Best Multitasker and Sassiest Bartender. In between the awards there are live bartending competitions put on […]
If you cast your mind back, back, beyond COVID-brain and our seismic societal shifts of the last few years, you might remember that Motif came out twice a month. That was more work and more expensive, but it was also lovely because not all shows, events and experiences know their details more than a month […]
Summer is an exciting time for kids. They get an entire ten weeks of little to no educational responsibilities. While exhilarating for children, it can be taxing for parents trying to plan meaningful activities. Here are some ideas to keep children active while also creating lifelong memories. Audubon Society protects almost 10,000 acres of wildlife […]
You may have noticed something major missing from our coverage of festivals and fairs over the summer. This issue is full of info, but no mention of PVDFest. What happened? No, rumors of its cancellation are not true. The eponymous festival, one of the biggest outdoor events of the year in the city (perhaps second […]
“Attend the tale of Sweeney Todd,” as the opening lyrics entreat, and embark on an unusual theatrical journey. Written in the 1970s, this Victorian tale of love and revenge overlays jokes and physical comedy with macabre murders to create its own genre, is playing through June 25 at Trinity Repertory Company. On an innovative rotating […]
Warming weather means the RI food truck season swings into high gear. Major events drawing dozens of trucks have already started their schedules. Both PVD Food Truck Events (PVD FTE) and Ocean State Food Truck Festivals (OSTF) host weekly events every Friday (and a smorgasbord of other events). PVD can be found at the Carousel […]
Motif is trying something new in our first July 2023 issue. Dedicated to the art of writing and summer reading, this issue will include some (clearly labeled as such) fiction. Entries must be original creative work evoking the themes, images, characters or feeling of Rhode Island in the summer, and must not have been previously […]
If you’ve never seen Stefan Couture perform live, then June 10 at Chan’s in Woonsocket is the night to do it. Couture was nominated as one of the best singer/songwriters in Motif’s 2022 poll, and his newest collection, A Brief and Binding Light, clearly shows why. The album will drop on all streaming platforms on […]
This Month’s Challenge! This month we’re partnering up with Narragansett Brewery! Bartenders will be challenged to create a unique cocktail using Narragansett Del’s Watermelon Shandy. This event runs from 7:30-10pm and is open to industry folks and the public! For $15 you can sample everything and vote for your two favorite concoctions! Up to the […]
