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...
The tattoo artist who goes by Mish, of Fall River, MA, created this month’s cover. “I got the nickname when I was younger, and it just kinda stuck,” she says. Also, it stirs a little...
On the “Weekend Update” satirical news segment on Saturday Night Live. anchor Colin Jost displayed a snapshot of an unhinged rant laced with profanity in the form of a Donald Trump post to Truth Social,...
VOTING OPEN NOW! VOTE HERE 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 community. The live celebration,...
VOTE HERE! "May your tattoo ink never run dry," as the ancient Portlandian blessing goes, has rarely been more applicable. Motif is proud to partner again with Narragansett Brewery to bring you the RI Tattoo Awards,...
OPENED Rong Chic: Celebrating the authentic flavor of Sichuan cuisine, this place is boasted by one yelper as “up and coming!” Scrolling through their socials provides a tasty glimpse at all their offerings such as their tofu cheesecake or crispy scallion pancakes. I live right next to this place, and it’s always bustling. Join the […]
I can’t think of anything better than ending a 4th-of-July weekend listening to “Espresso” by Sabrina Carpenter while sipping some delicious espresso cocktail samples. On Sunday, July 6, Motif once again sponsored another Mixology Madness competition, this time as a collaboration with Newport Live Events’ Cocktail Wars. The chosen theme was espresso cocktails at the […]
Self-care as a concept and an industry has seen a surge in the last five years. As people become more focused on taking care of themselves and are seeking traditional and non-traditional ways to do so, CBD and THC treatments have become one of those nontraditional methods. Also, several wellness centers have incorporated THC and […]
Whether you are a professional shadowcaster, a die-hard Rocky Horror lover, or a curious individual wondering what all the excitement is about, RKO Army’s Rocky Horror Convention is about to transport you into a time warp like you’ve never experienced before. For its 50th anniversary, this August event is completely new. This is not your […]
Walking between oval mirrors mounted above altars on opposite walls in the entryway of the Pawtucket Arts Collaborative gallery in Lorraine Mills, the theme of the mixed-media and immersive In-Between group exhibition became readily apparent. As a sign of welcome, an alabaster hand and an ebony hand reached out from one mirror, while a white […]
Menacing gray clouds were gathering over Providence this past July 8, threatening to put a damper on the opening night celebration of the 2025 48 Hour Film Festival at the historic Avon Cinema. Director of the festival’s RI chapter, Mel Rainsberger, had started sending out emails early to the expected audience, urging caution and warning […]
I met Alan Hassenfeld, former Hasbro chairman and CEO and unrivalled philanthropist, in the early 1990s, when he and H. Philip West Jr. led a coalition to bring badly needed ethical reform to Rhode Island politics. It was ultimately successful. I discovered then what a unique man he was, along with his family, which had […]
The RI International Film Festival (RIIFF) will hold its 43rd annual “Flickers” with screenings at six venues in Providence and one at the Misquamicut Drive-In, beginning with their traditional gala opening night at the Providence Performing Arts Center (PPAC) on Aug 5. Information is available from film-festival. org and the detailed schedule (searchable by dates, […]
Whether it is a hot summer night or a freezing winter evening, you find yourself sitting under the stars. Fireflies flicker around or maybe frost clings to the windshield as your eyes lock on that one scene, maybe for the millionth time or the very first, and for a moment, nothing else matters. The scent […]
Unique among all the states, only Rhode Island continues to observe “Victory Day” remembering the end of hostilities during World War II. At one point it was called “V-J Day” to signify the end of the war against the Japanese forces (as opposed to “V-E” day in May 1945 commemorating the fall of Germany). The […]
