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...
Despite my love of the fantasy/comic book genre, I’ve never been to Comic Con — not even during the seven years I lived in San Diego, a 10-minute drive from the world’s largest Comic Con. My reasons for avoiding this ridiculously popular event are that I don’t like crowds and I don’t like hemorrhaging money […]
Wintertime is special. In the face of bleak weather and wracking cold, humanity still finds a way to infuse joy and warmth into a season when everything in nature has slowed or died. And since it is a near universal sense of celebration found in a multitude of forms across myriad cultures, the winter also […]
Okee dokee folks… Thank you to the folks who voted last Tuesday. Fortunately some things hopefully will change a bit come January. To decompress after the election, I went to see Lewis Black at PPAC. He had a solution for folks who get worked up about politics and the constant stupidity of the orange idiot and […]
Although Rhode Island General Laws (§ 5-23-2) allow licenses for businesses to operate on most holidays, “No license shall be issued on December 25 of any year or on Thanksgiving Day” except to specially exempt types of businesses including pharmacies, small groceries, bakeries and video rental stores. Because of this, Rhode Island is believed to be […]
Caucacity /kɔˈkæsətɪ/ (n.) The audacity of New World Caucasians who feel entitled to assume privilege and consent when interacting with other cultures not their own. It was a warm summer evening at the Mashpee Wampanoag powwow on Cape Cod, Mass. For the dancers and drummers, the excitement of joining friends in ceremony and performing in […]
Wait a second … you’re not going to buy another tie for Dear Old Dad this Christmas, are you? Of course not! Only a hand-painted silk tie woven on locally produced looms is good enough to grace your father’s precious neck! So get thee to a craft fair and give your loved ones (or those […]
Last week’s elections may have seen a blue wave sweep through the nation, but workers still have a lot to expect from the liberal tide. Back in June, the Supreme Court handed down the long-expected Janus v. AFSCME decision. SCOTUS ruled that public sector unions could no longer collect union fees from non-member unions (sometimes […]
Dear C and Dr. B; As a mother, I am deeply affected by the recent headlines — more mass shootings and calls from our president to have armed guards to protect every religious organization and school. My daughter attends a religious school, and I fear sending her to school tomorrow. I hate the uncertainty and […]
The election came and I am proud of Rhode Islanders for voting for change — by re-electing almost everybody. Yeah, take that Trump! Now that we are done showing them, things can go back to normal — with an endless stream of insurance, erectile dysfunction and ambulance chaser commercials warping sedated minds. The mere […]
Local beer lovers have an abundance of thanks to give, as they revel in the splendor of our ever-expanding brewery scene and thriving suds culture. In the spirit of the celebratory season, we asked 401 beermakers to share their reasons to be cheerful (and a few newsy tidbits). Let’s start in South Kingstown at Whalers […]
