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....
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...
Thanks to Interstate 95, travelers can drive all the way from Miami to New Brunswick without ever needing to leave the highway. Artists from Jimmy Buffet to the Front Bottoms have struck a chord singing about it, but a project from the Preservation Society of Pawtucket hopes to shed light on another, less-discussed aspect of […]
Gigi’s Catering Service It seems every time Governor Gigi Raimondo is involved in an enormous deal by the state that involves big corporations, she, to put it politely, soils the bed. That is because, as Phillipe and Jorge have said countless times in this space, she always thinks she is the smartest person in the […]
Summer is here, the sun is hot and our Vitamin D is at near-lethal levels, causing an incessant urge to attend festivals, dance like crazy and let go of inhibitions while surrounded by thousands of strangers. Screw the correlation studies; there’s just something about the summertime that makes this vivacious conviviality quite alright. Lucky for […]
The sun was soft and low in the sky, enveloping the Contemporary Theater Company (CTC)’s outdoor performance space in a dreamy midsummer glow; it’s the perfect setting to kick off the troupe’s “Shakespeare on the Saugatucket” series. This month, CTC presents William Shakespeare’s comedy Two Gentlemen of Verona, a cheerful adventure complete with complicated love […]
It’s not uncommon for RI’s theater scene to be taken over by Shakespeare in the summer months. This season, we’ve already seen TRIST present The Merry Wives of Windsor, and Burbage is getting ready to revive their production of Julius Caesar, which was fantastic when I saw it five years ago at the William Hall […]
Two issues ago, we celebrated the third anniversary of the bettering of Rhode Island’s beer laws while bemoaning the fact that our 401 indie brewers have the lowest beer-to-go ounce limit – 288 per customer – in the US (tied with Alabama and South Carolina). We also noted that the General Assembly had considered bills […]
Almost two months ago, on my commute to work, I spotted a ladder, a freshly primed wall and a very chill artist on Cypress Street directly below Billy Taylor Park Bridge. I was curious, so I slammed the brakes and popped a U-ie. I met the artist, Elijah Faris, and we exchanged numbers. After hearing […]
WED 10 The Great American Hemp & Blues Festival: Musical performances include a Grateful Dead tribute, folk rock, country and reggae. Headliner is James Montgomery Blues Band. Vendors, artisans and speakers throughout the day. Followed by a Phish concert. 1pm. Mohegan Sun Earth Ballroom, 1 Mohegan Sun Blvd, Uncasville, Conn. mohegansun.com THU 11 7th Annual […]
I first saw the Rolling Stones in fall 1989 on their Steel Wheels tour. At the time, being an adolescent punk rocker, I didn’t give a shit about “corporate rock” like the Stones. My dad, who loves the Stones, had tickets for the show at the old Foxboro Stadium. Someone had cancelled last minute so […]
Dear C and Dr. B; My sister is mentally ill, and can also be just mean. This Saturday, on her birthday, I was supposed to call her at 10am. As I was reaching for the phone at 10:01am, it rang. It was my sister, yelling: “You were supposed to call me at 10!” I humored […]
