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...
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...
Let your Halloween costume pull a double this year – RI Comic Con is earlier in the season than usual. Held November 2 through 4, the weekend event is expected to bring in 80,000 to 90,000 sci-fi, fantasy, action, comic, wrestling, gaming, music and – let’s just say “pop culture” fans to downtown Providence. With […]
The Bendays – Dots Dots is the dapper debut album from The Bendays, a side project from RI rocker Andy Davis. Released under Davis’ own label, Submodern, the record is a collection of impassioned, organic songs that seem a bit more off-the-cuff than those of his main gig, Pixels. The album doesn’t take itself too seriously, […]
Same Old, Same Old Unfortunately, Little Rhody’s election of statewide office holders on November 6 has less suspense than a Hardy Boys or Nancy Drew detective novel. Thank all gods for term limits so we don’t have to stage this type of embarrassment in 2022. The state’s Republican Party has become the longest running joke in […]
Well I’ll Be … Body Slammed Pussy grabbing, dehumanizing and now body slamming. Yes, in the latest social directive to come out of the nation’s decaying capital, the president appeared to defend congressman Greg Gianforte of Montana who physically assaulted a British journalist in May 2017. Pontificating at a MAGA rally in Big Sky Country at […]
Local playwright Lenny Schwartz has made a name for himself with his award-winning Daydream Theatre Company and such plays as Co-Creator, Subject 62, The Scarecrow, The Inside of His Severed Head and many others. His screenwriting credits include everything from dark drama (The Assassination of Western Civilization, Higher Methods, Long Night in a Dead City, Normal) to […]
Aries: Aries undergoes an attitude change during this period. While you usually prefer to go it alone, and still do, you find on occasion the need for some companionship, be it friends, co-workers or a more romantic type. Don’t let work and/or career demands take over your life. Take the time to chill and enjoy. Taurus: You […]
Our last two Got Beer? dispatches went long on Beervana (what a night!) and Genesee Cream Ale (local sales soared after our mash notes!!), so we’re overdue for a big batch o’ beer news: Grey Sail Brewing of Rhode Island (GSBRI) will celebrate its seventh anniversary on November 11 – the time, it flies! The accomplished […]
Okee dokee folks… Sometimes I feel as if talking about anything other than the current state of this country is pointless. Convincing folks to go out and hear music is akin to the captain of the Titanic telling folks to listen to the great band that’s playing on the upper deck as the ship goes […]
It’s that time of year, and I’m not talking about the holidays. Starting today and extending well into December is the open enrollment period for affordable health insurance. HealthSource RI is the official state agency for the insurance marketplace, one of only 12 in the nation. Insuring people for healthcare is actually one of the things […]
Okee dokee folks…For all of you folks who like to be the company of intelligent, critical thinkers who like to laugh a lot then you should be at Providence Performing Arts Center on Thursday, November 8th when Lewis Black brings in his “The Joke’s On Us” Tour. Black is one of today’s preeminent political/social comedians […]
