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...
Dear C; Sarah answered my ad when I was looking for a roommate. She was very open about her life; she told me she’d made some bad decisions when her marriage ended, had to declare bankruptcy on credit card debts, and ended up losing everything. She was actually homeless when she came to my door. […]
Opened Askew: No, they probably won’t be serving squirrel, but they will be taking over the former Fatt Squirrel space under the ArtProv Gallery and across from the Art Bar. Run by local music scene veterans Psycho and Windsong, most recently of Firehouse 13 and Alchemy, this venue will feature live music and will […]
What do you never leave home without? I never leave the house with an iced coffee (yes I am a Rhode Islander to the core), a bottle of water and a smile. What’s your biggest pet peeve? People who cannot follow through with their word and commitments What’s your favorite book? I will let you […]
The Curious Case of LittleBoyBigHeadonBike Lo-fi folk outfit LittleBoyBigHeadonBike is the music of William Orchard, and armed with a guitar and a recorder, he presents a body of work that is an impressive experiment in unbridled creativity. Orchard churns out releases like the White House goes through staffers, and since December of 2014 has put […]
You can’t make a good drink without proper skill and technique, and these bartending skills are tested in the Speed Rack competition, which pits bartenders from all around the country against each other in a fun competition. Rhode Island’s own Leishla Maldonado competed in this all-female competition this month in Boston, after months of training. I […]
My original pitch to the hardworking, hard thinking, patient editor and publisher of Motif went like this: “Millennial drinking habits are different!” They were intrigued, but, really, why should we care about the idea of Millennial drinking habits being so different from the drinking generations preceding them? Because, drinking readers, these things impact beverage production, […]
The Community Players present the “heavenly” musical, Forever Plaid, April 13-22. Singing group “The Plaids,” played by Nick Mercurio, Joe Catanzaro, Dan Thompson and Matt Fagan, recreate the close harmony of their idols: The Four Freshmen, The Hi-Lo’s and The Crew Cuts, and soon start rehearsing their music together. The group’s 1950s songs include “Three Coins […]
Cruisin’ for a Love Phillipe and Jorge rarely see eye-to-eye with Pope Frankie of the Vatican, except to acknowledge that he is indeed a member of the Catholic faith and that bears do continue to defecate with regularity in the woods. Despite Frankie’s continuing the tradition of swanning around the globe in red slippers and […]
Elizabeth Yeampierre’s words about climate change could aptly be applied to systemic racism. “I think it is all overwhelming,” she said, at a talk titled From Puerto Rico to Rhode Island: Raising Voices for Climate Justice. “We need to respect that what is happening right now is the manifestation of years and years […]
Aries: With the arrival of spring, you feel rejuvenated. You’re ready for action as you enter the spotlight. With Mercury retrograde in your sign, be wary of blurting something out before thinking it through. You aim is to help, not hurt. At the New Moon when Mercury goes direct, your thoughts will be clearer and you […]
