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...
Oh, Revival, your wonderful brews and charming character won me over long ago. Though I’m reviewing yet another hoppy beer, I’m cutting this one some slack for being much more chill and stylish than most others of its ilk. The refreshing new breed of fruity/sweet IPAs has gotten me back into the style after I […]
The following strains can be found at RI Compassion Centers and were grown by Mammoth Inc. in Warwick. Mammoth is an award-winning, modern-day, state-of-the-art cultivation facility that uses recirculating deep-water culture hydroponics to produce the highest quality flower and solventless extracts. Most notably, Mammoth is the only cultivation facility on the East Coast that has certified […]
THU 18 Double-O-Larry’s: The Larry’s Lounge Variety Show brings you the best in RI spy tradecraft with its 007 themed music, comedy and more. Come early; this tends to sell out. 8pm. The Parlour, 1119 N Main St, PVD. theparlourri.com FRI 19 The Silks: Local favorite roots rockers. 9pm. The Met, 1005 Main St, Pawtucket. […]
Get out your hemp pencils and mark your calendars — the Great American Hemp and Blues Festival is putting tickets on sale 4/20! On July 10, this music extravaganja will take over the Earth Ballroom at Mohegan Sun. Headlining the event is Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame 2019 inductee James Montgomery, who will […]
After policy-makers craft the details, who is the person behind the regulation of new industries? We take a look into the decision-making process of Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation Director Elizabeth Tanner. The Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation (DBR) oversees many key industries, from real estate appraisal to the state’s medical cannabis program. Recently, DBR […]
On March 1, Rep. Marcia Ranglin-Vassell (District 5, PVD) introduced a bill into the House Finance Committee: H5795, The Rhode Island Cannabis Equity Act. The act creates a cannabis equity program, with the state providing financial and technical access into the (hopefully soon to be legal) cannabis industry. Funds will be disbursed on a municipal […]
To lead off, I have to give my support to the workers of Stop & Shop who are forced to forgo their wages while the company tries to replace them with Johnny 5s from Short Circuit. Please do not cross their picket line. Moving on… The first time I wrote about one of Jay Berndt’s bands, […]
Modern hash is classified as solvent, solvent-free or solventless extracts. Solvent extracts, like butane hash oil, are processed using a hydrocarbon solvent such as butane, propane or hexane to dissolve the active ingredients and separate them from the plant material. Solvent-free products are initially extracted using a solvent, but then they’re distilled in a lab […]
Readers of Motif might recognize the name Jared Moffat, a longtime leader of cannabis legalization efforts and Regulate RI before he moved out of the country a few years ago. Moffat is considering a move back to Rhody, but even from far away he remains up-to-date on our state’s high moves on legalization, and he’ll be helping out with […]
“December 2015.” Those words echo in my mind. I hear what feels like a million reverberations of my voice uttering that phrase in response to friends, family and doctors inquiring, “When did it start?” I was hesitant to write about my experience because making sense of my symptoms is difficult; trying to write or speak logically about them […]
