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...
(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...
Get ready to laugh even harder this holiday season, local comedy fans! One of Providence’s wittiest comedy duos, Chuck Staton and Brad Rohrer, will be spreading even more holiday cheer this year with their second Christmas comedy show, Chuck and Brad’s EVEN BETTER Best Christmas Show. Chuck and Brad dedicate themselves whole-heartedly to the Providence comedy […]
Prince may be dead, but his purple-tinged soul lives on in a tribute band that brings the ’80s to life. Known as the Purple Xperience, this breathless act was formed in 2011 by fellow son of Minnesota, Marshall Charloff and former Prince band member, Matt “Doctor” Fink. As close as a doppelganger to Prince Rogers […]
In these times of religious observances, family obligations and unabashed consumerism, it can be hard not to succumb to the embracing womb of corporate America. But when you’re participating in capitalism this holiday season, try to seek out local sources. You probably won’t be able to avoid supporting our new god Jeff Bezos at some […]
Mass Murderers, Inc. Way back in our childhoods, when dinosaurs ruled the Earth, P&J trusted our country to be moving forward evolutionary-wise. Not so much these days, with a racist, misogynist pig who, through some ungodly mistake, we made president. Always nice to know our commander-in-chief gets all his information from the despicable Fox News and […]
When thinking of your favorite cannabis consumers this holiday season, there are several aspects of ganja gift-giving to keep in mind. First and foremost, it must be emphasized that cannabis needs to be stored properly to maintain its integrity and medicinal efficacy. Secondly, tolerance levels and preferential methods vary widely from person to person. Those […]
We have a little tradition at Motif. You’re familiar with advent calendars; as Christmas approaches, every day you flip open a little cardboard door to discover — joy of joys! — a waxy piece of chocolate. We offer our readers a similar lead-up to the big day, but you, dear ones, are worth far more than […]
Chef Brian Kingsford of Bacaro got his start in the kitchen as a dishwasher at a breakfast restaurant when he was 12. Fairly quickly, he realized that dishwashing wasn’t his cup of tea and he wanted to be a line cook. At 14, he was given the opportunity to show what he was made of and he […]
The last time we met in this space, we shared the reasons to be thankful from 401 beermakers. In this Holiday Gift Guide, we’ve collected a few suggestions for 401 beer-related gifts, which will engender waves of thanks from your beloved giftees – and we have some beer news for youse, natch. But let’s start […]
Christmas Day may be a time for many of us to relax and enjoy festivities and food with family and friends, but for medical workers, it’s often just business as usual. Illness doesn’t take a holiday; in fact, for those in the medical profession, the holidays are often the busiest time of the year. Emergency rooms […]
The “Shop Local” slogan is slapped on bumper stickers and business doors in the hopes that it penetrates consumers’ conscience, especially this time of year. And hopefully, that motivation is maintained the entire year. Purchases become a personal and political statement. Each penny spent becomes a tangible declaration of our values with immediate rewards. People […]
