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...
Okee dokee folks… The other night I went to check out a show featuring two classic rock bands at Twin River’s Event Center. The bands were Starship, featuring Mickey Thomas, and The Guess Who. I have never had the chance to see these bands live before, but have seen a few of the original members […]
As the sepia-tinged blanket of fall warms the landscape with hues of burnt orange, yellow and red, college campuses across New England are coming to life with all the bustle of a new semester. At Brown University, institutions such as the Haffenreffer Museum of Anthropology support classroom life by providing students with extensive resources and […]
The Community Players open their 98th season with a community theater staple, Social Security, directed by James Sulanowski. It opened on Broadway in 1986 and ran for about a year, during which time it picked up a few awards, mostly for the set design. Locally, it has been performed by a few different community theaters […]
Academy Players officially opened the doors to the new James and Gloria Maron Cultural Art Center on September 13 with a foot-stomping, rafter-shaking and heart pumping production of Disney’s Newsies The Musical. The Tony-award winning musical is having its Rhode Island premiere under the direction of Academy Players artistic director Rita A. Maron, supported by the non-stop […]
There is something uniquely demanding in staging a production of Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None. As one of the most well-known murder mysteries of all time, your production must be clear enough for newcomers to follow, and yet still refreshing to those who know it already. This is the exact challenge undertaken by […]
“Love can’t pay the rent, but lust…” / “Bo leans into Delilah, their nose touching her cheek as they lock lips. Long and tender.” / “Arriving at the house, he let himself in with his key – and headed up the stairs to the playroom.” Listening to lines from the audio teaser for Aural Sex, […]
Every artist has a “thang,” and for Providence-based pop singer Scout Lyons, it’s celebrating individuality. She officially released her new single, “Do My Thang,” on August 24, complete with a release party show at Fete Music Hall. Lyons and her stuffed companion Mr. Bear star in the music video for the song, which depicts — […]
Counter-Productions Theatre Company kicks off its Readings in Autumn series this week with Manhood by Dennis A. Allen II. Titled An Exploration of New Works, the series features local playwright (and artistic director of Epic Theatre) Kevin Broccoli as well as the New York-based Allen. A chance to hear new works presented in a semi-formal […]
Dear C and Dr. B It’s the first week of my daughters high school freshman year. She is a good kid and has always been a good student. She is well adjusted and has lots of friends. She is also fashion conscious and well up on the current styles in social media pop culture. She […]
They look like USB drives, but they are a delivery system of a very different kind. “Pod Mods” are a new product class of e cigarettes that are quickly gaining ground in what doctors are seeing as the next emerging public health concern. Their apprehension is well-grounded. In 2011, less than 2% of US high […]
