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...
The embattled PawSox, having recently lost several bids to move their stadium to the old I-195 land near India point in Providence, have instead stated intentions to create a new stadium on the location of the old Apex building in central Pawtucket. “It’s still right along the river, and we’ll be demolishing an iconic RI […]
WED 28 LunaFest: This festival celebrates short films by and about women. 7pm, Artists’ Exchange, 50 Rolfe Sq, Cranston. artists-exchange.org Cocktails & Conversations: Gender Equality in the Workplace: A panel of high-powered, successful women share their ideas on how to even the playing field between the sexes in the workplace. 6pm, Roger Williams University, 45 […]
The Conjuring movie was a box office success grossing over $319 million globally. It had prominent actors and a world-renowned production crew. But what was the actual conjuring story really like? Andrea Perron has the answers for us — as she is the eldest of the five girls to actually endure the hauntings. The Perron […]
In an ensemble of white on blue polka dots and ruby curls with an inflatable unicorn, local drag queen Annie B. Frank lit up EGO’s stage one recent Thursday night, lip-synching songs and telling jokes. When Annie B. Frank isn’t decked out in fake lashes, over-lined lips and outrageous wigs (she’s got 20 of them), she […]
The “in concert” format for presenting popular West End/Broadway musicals came into its own with the 1995 presentation of Les Miserables’ 10th anniversary. Featuring a “dream cast” of performers from around the globe, the format allowed for multiple actors handling the same part while losing none of the musical continuity. Staging is kept to a […]
As adults, we are responsible for the choices we make. But when we ask trusted caregivers for help and are given instead a prescription that leads to our doom, we are no longer making choices; we are being manipulated and used. Herein lies the real tragedy of the opioid epidemic: Its victims did not exactly […]
The late Clay Osborne was one of Rhode Island’s finest male jazz singers. He passed away in 2006, at age 79. His brother Billy, who is considered one of the west coast’s veteran pianists and arrangers, said many years ago, “If my older brother Clay had chosen to leave Providence for New York, Las Vegas […]
After years of going to Fenway Park and enjoying different ballpark snacks, Rhode Islander Steve Gilman developed an affection for kettle corn. He loved the bags he’d get at the games so much that he decided to go home and start making his own. On behalf of anyone who’s ever had the pleasure of tasting […]
Very few bands these days have a way of taking the senses to another world. Both visually and musically, Yamantaka // Sonic Titan from Toronto have the ability to do that while becoming one of the most inventive acts of the decade. They refer to their style as “Noh Wave,” which is a pun on Japanese Noh […]
In an age where the meaning of pop music is changing with the seasons, Sylvan Esso is putting an extraordinary spin on the style. The duo from Durham, NC, consisting of producer Nick Sanborn and vocalist Amelia Meath, bring complex beats and deep melodies to the table. It’s catchy music that will put you in […]
