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, I’m wondering if I did the right thing. Last night, my 14-year-old daughter had a sleepover with her best friend, Kimmy, another 14-year-old girl. When I went up to check on them and to say good night, Kimmy was not in the trundle bed I’d made up for her. They were both in […]
THRU SAT 20 FUNDA Fest: For complete coverage of this year’s events, go to http://www.motifri.com/funda-fest-2018 SAT 20 Freakfest 9: Rap, rock. Featuring Twiztid and Green Jelly accompanied by suspension, circus, sideshow acts and more freaky stuff! Doors Noon. Fete Music Hall, 103 Dike St, PVD. fetemusic.com Nobody’s Boyscout & How’s About Charlie Double CD Release […]
The Community Players continue their 97th season with the wry comedy Lovers and Other Strangers, a compilation of five comic scenes featuring New York couples in various stages of their relationships — from the first bloom of romance to a bedroom battle of the sexes to a long-married couple desperately trying to understand their […]
Some of the best music comes from ideas that are inventive. These ideas push boundaries and inspire new sounds that spark creativity. These days, who knows this better than drummer Brendan Canty and bassist Joe Lally. As the rhythm section for punk legends Fugazi, they were the anchor behind a band that turned an entire […]
In an age where the mass populace is questioning rock ‘n’ roll’s legitimacy due to the mass proliferation of pop and due to hip-hop’s rise in record sales, bands like Black Rebel Motorcycle Club are still sticking around. The group from Los Angeles have always set themselves apart from their contemporaries with a leather-clad sound […]
Providence’s music scene in 2017 went through some changes. Longtime venue Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel underwent under a renovation and became The Strand Ballroom and Theatre. Aurora and Firehouse 13 both closed up shop, the latter an incubator during the late 2000s for a lot of bands currently affiliated with the city’s music scene. Despite a […]
It’s time for Motif’s annual tattoo contest. We’d love to have you participate. Please vote! For best results, zoom in on your browser to see the work in its full glory! Voting will end on Feb 7 – please, one vote per person. Winners will be announced in our annual, collectible tattoo issue, which hits the streets […]
MON, WED, FRI, SAT Ice Bumper Cars: What’s more exciting than bumper cars? How about bumper cars on ice? Slide and bump around the Ice Rink in brightly colored, round cars. Mon / Fri, 10am-6pm; Wed / Sat, 10pm-midnight. Providence City Center, 2 Kennedy Plaza, PVD. theprovidencerink.com/bumper-cars WED 10 Glow Volleyball & After Party (Adult Co-ed Social Sports): Show your skills […]
Herb Weiss and Nancy Carriuolo, co-editors of The Selected E-Mail Correspondences of Richard Walton, a commemorative collection of writing from the universally respected advocate for social justice, have released the e-book for free download on the fifth anniversary of Walton’s December 2012 death. “We hope that this book brings back fond memories of Richard and that […]
The Community Players are beginning the year with their production of Lovers and Other Strangers, a series of five comic one acts, each dealing with the ups and downs of relationships and marriage. Each story features partners of varied ages, from a planned seduction gone wrong, a groom experiencing cold feet before the wedding, to […]
