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....
Dusk Summerfest Fourth of July and Dusk go hand and hand. The newly rebranded Dusk Summerfest hits PVD on Saturday, July 1 with 14 bands playing both inside and outside stages. “Since we helped adopt Liberty Fest after the original location was nixed by the city, we kept an already popular niche event and expanded […]
Drivers on I-195 crossing the Braga Bridge in Fall River, MA, find it hard to miss the large World War II-era battleship USS Massachusetts located directly below them. It is the main feature in a museum collection of retired naval vessels that is the largest in the world. Battleship Cove is a landmark that has […]
It costs quite a bit of money to be able to live at the “shore,” as they say in New Jersey. It might cost a bit less to live in Narragansett or Charlestown, but it is still a “shore” lot of money living anywhere near any ocean frontage on the East Coast. And this also […]
Commuters getting off at the new Pawtucket/Central Falls train station after a long day of work or studies don’t have to go far to enjoy uniquely crafted cocktails/mocktails and low-toned conversations at the new home of Rhode Island Spirits. Now residing among the renovated mills and warehouses on the corner of Bayley and Commerce Streets, […]
On Saturday, April 15, a vast array of curious and eager modern humans gathered in the lobby of the Providence Public Library for the most fun interruption of “Tax Day” PVD has seen in about 450 million years. Eli Nixon, Pawtucket-based artist and activist, was in full-public-spectaculah form as they revealed the culmination of their […]
Leading up to our 2023 Bartender Awards in July, we are going to have monthly live competitions. These will take place at a different local venue each month. You don’t have to be nominated for anything else, you can just take part. Participation is first-come, first-served. Depending on the competition, the number of entrants may be […]
Welcome to Motif Magazine’s 2023 Tattoo Awards! This year Steven Tefft & Bettysioux Tailor bring Rhody After Dark to celebrate the most creative in ink art. Special Thanks to Narragansett Brewery for hosting & Sponsoring, and to our other Sponsors: R1 Indoor Karting & Mother Earth Wellness for making it all possible. Thanks also to […]
So does anyone remember that internet story where Disney tried to trademark the word “princess?” I’ll bet the remaining members of royalty in Europe had some interesting things to say on that notion, and I’d give actual money to hear what those things were. But this is just an example of how sometimes it’s not […]
Vudu Sister have never been afraid to conjure spirits to spur creativity. Over the course of three albums they have dabbled in dark styles of goth, ghost folk, and indie grunge. Heck, they even have an EP, Burnt Offerings, that is entirely in Latin. Recently Vudu Sister’s singer-songwriter Keith McCurdy took the plunge of quitting […]
We danced the dance of summer love,Stolen glances on the ferry,The not-so coincidental strolls up the beachwhen I wished for you to appear,and you did.Tideline chats,so charged by the ions of the crashing wavesthat I thought I would combust.Each time you were near,the desperation of wanting to taste you grew.I remember the lambent light when […]
