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...
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....
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...
As 2022 draws its last shuddering breath, the world is on a mad dash though Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Christmas. What generally follows is a crawl to the denouement of New Year’s Day, when we will all be hit in the face with the consequences of whatever delusions we’ve permitted ourselves through the holidays. My wish […]
Festival Ballet’s newest version of “The Nutcracker” premiered to much fanfare last year after a long tradition of annual performances when the creative team of Director Kathleen Breen Combes and Artistic Curator Yury Yanowsky reimagined the classic production and launched a new tradition. This year the company is sticking with that new production and continuing […]
The holi-daze mayhem is kicking into swing! With that in mind, I figured I’d review a couple of fall releases that have been kicking around inside my speakers for the music lover on your shopping list as well as some upcoming shows that don’t blow. Blood Feeder – Self-titled (75OrLessRecords) Dr. Chris Evil of Chris […]
It’s a familiar story that has been shown for several years at Gamm Theatre and spans decades on TV in black and white, but the feeling of It’s a Wonderful Life never diminishes. Like the scent of pine in the air and the sparkle of twinkling lights on a tree, the story of how a […]
The cover artist for our Holiday Issue is a psychedelic illustrator whose enjoyment of the ’60s / ’70s era leant inspiration for the cover. Joseph Heroux, this month’s cover artist, created a piece that focuses on inclusivity during the holidays. Heroux has always been an artist, having his first gallery shown when he was just […]
The holiday season is here, which means parties, giftgiving, acts of kindness, and yummy food. It’s the time of year to not only give and receive, but also to celebrate the different ways to celebrate, so that we can relate to one another. And what better way to do that than to see what’s cooking […]
Hello, Motif readers! My name is Jack Downey, and I’m a student at Providence College, a musician, and a former Motif intern. Since I was in high school, I have fully immersed myself in the nearest local music scene, first in the South Shore of Massachusetts, then in Providence. Both music and writing have been […]
UPDATE: Winter Weather Advisory posted Sun 12:28pm until Mon 7:00am for portions of northern CT, central MA and northern RI including the cities of Putnam, Willimantic, Milford, Worcester, Foster, Smithfield, Providence, Coventry, West Greenwich, East Greenwich, Warwick, and West Warwick where 2 – 4 inches of snow could fall. At Providence, precipitation is likely through […]
At Providence, precipitation is likely Sun 6pm – Mon 2am, and could include the first snow of the season although temperatures a few degrees above freezing should prevent any accumulation above a fraction of an inch. Precipitation could begin as early as Sat 10pm and end as late as Mon 6am, but the probability is […]
What better way to get into the Christmas spirit than to spend it on Miserable Spring, Italian style! The Academy Players present A Christmas Carmella, written and directed by Comedian Frank O’Donnell (and co-directed by Shannon Donnelly, also plucked from the audience as Bella) so it’s sure to make you laugh. Dickens would be rolling […]
