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...
They called him The King of Rock and Roll. Elvis the Pelvis. The Hardest Working Man in Hollywood. You may have even heard him referred to as “The Hillbilly Cat,” reflecting Presley’s blend of country and rock, and “The Memphis Flash”, in homage to his hometown and energetic performances. Theatre By The Sea presents this hip-swiveling, […]
Okee dokee folks… Legendary folk-rocker, Neil Young, brought his new band, The Chrome Hearts, and his Love Earth Tour to the Bank New Hampshire Pavilion in Gilford on Thursday, August 21, for the only New England date of the tour. Young debuted the Chrome Hearts at last year’s Farm Aid concert in Saratoga, NY. The […]
The Community College of Rhode Island Players’ 2025 Summer Rep will conclude their annual theater season with their adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Richard III, directed by Jonathan Pitts-Wiley. The performance is the second of a two-part series that began in July with a four-day run of Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors. Theatre fans know Shakespeare […]
As someone who looks awkward regardless of their outfit, I never followed fashion. I liked the various punk rock looks (spiky fashion punks, Fred Perry/well-dressed Oi), but I’ve pretty much been wearing a band T-shirt and khaki pants since high school. Andy Ryan (Raggedy Andy) took a different path and embraced the fashion aspects of […]
The summer season is approaching its end. For corporate America, this might be the slowest season of the year. But for farms and other companies that thrive in the summer, busy is merely an understatement. Rhode Island is not known as the Ocean State just for its shoreline. Seafood has, and will always be, one […]
Today I smelled the change in the air, that slight crispness we all recognize. The transition from summer to fall is my favorite seasonal shift. Electricity surges through our spaces. My niece FaceTimed to show me her new pink backpack full of carefully chosen school supplies, two new teeth barely breaking through the gaps in […]
Apple Picking 1. Barden Family Orchard (pumpkins) 56 Elmdale Road, North Scituate 401-934-1413 2. Old Stone Orchard 33 Colebrook Road, Little Compton 401-635-2663 3. Jaswell’s Farm (cider donuts) 50 Swan Road, Smithfield 401-231-9043 4. Leach Farm and Orchard (pumpkins) 147 Austin Avenue, Greenville 401-862-5156 5. Narrow Lane Orchard 213 Narrow Lane, North Kingstown 401-294-3584 6. […]
Opened Yellow Door Taqueria: Not quite open yet, but on the docket, this popular Bostonian restaurant is moving to RI. Mexican food under the reign of Dropkick Murphy’s frontman Ken Casey (aren’t they Irish?) and other celebrities, the Yellow Door Taqueria already has three popular spots all over Bean Town. Opening soon, with a trademark […]
Where the heck am I? How did I get here? What am I going to do around here, and how do I make new friends? For people new to Rhode Island, these might be very reasonable questions. New England has a reputation for being a tough area to make new friends in, with so many […]
The first hole of the miniature golf course at The Dusty Planet in Olneyville is emerald, like any other putting green. The second hole is golden, like a cornfield on the farm. There’s even a thigh-high model of a barn to drive the point home. But at the third hole, a flying saucer that’s landed […]
