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...
We all have that one family member who goes insane for the holidays — planning their shopping weeks before Thanksgiving, up late at night making comprehensive gift lists, leaving dinner on Thursday to take a nap before waiting in a line in the freezing cold for a chance to grab a flat screen at half […]
It’s funny to think about. Not even a day after being thankful and celebrating with family, friends and neighbors, at midnight, sometimes earlier, people will enter big box stores to become obsessed with holiday shopping and saving a buck. More often than not, kicking and pushing other shoppers in order to obtain their “precious” commodities. […]
Music sets the mood for a holiday meal, and our music writers certainly know how to set a mood. Pick one of their playlists to provide delightful background music or drown out your racist uncle, or take a song from all three lists to make sure your playlist includes something to everyone. John Fuzek, The Roots Report […]
For the three years I’ve known about North, I’ve refused to write about it for any media outlet because I was afraid of what might happen: crowds of tourists lining up, longer waits, higher prices, inevitable change. But it was easily my favorite restaurant in Providence, the one I recommended only to people I trusted, […]
As Charles Dickens himself penned in A Christmas Carol, “There is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humor.” Mark your calendars today and enjoy for yourselves the best of local holiday theatrical offerings, ranging from family-friendly spectacles to knee-slapping comedies fueled by adult beverages. A Wealth of Chances to See […]
Noxii Arena was founded in 2011 by three friends: Mike Ferrara, Jared Souza and Jon Camelo. In 2013 Noxii started playing as a three-piece, and wanting to expand and improve their sound, the band decided that they needed to search for more members. The band quickly caught the attention of bass player Matt Perreault. As it […]
Comic Con continued to show its chops as the biggest event in the littlest state this year. Overall, the event successfully trafficked what was probably around 100,000 people [final numbers were still pending at press time] through a colossal maze of vendors, celebrities, artists and activities without losing too many to the Upside-Down. There were […]
Holiday-themed dance performances from nearly every Rhode Island company will open the season, ranging from traditional to contemporary work. The Rhode Island College Dance Company (ric.edu/pas) will host the Bang Group, Friday (Dec 1) and Saturday (Dec 2) at Sapinsley Hall, in a collaboration called Nut/Cracked, “an ode to American eclecticism” they describe as “The Nutcracker, […]
Aries: Relationships become explosive throughout this period. Maintain your cool while others boil over. Don’t be taken in by rumor and innuendo. Get the facts before you act. Do take the time to retreat, regroup and listen to that quiet inner voice. Figure out what is right for you, what works for you and what really […]
AltFacts, really meant as a joke about national-level distortion of information, took on a frightening new meaning locally in November, when a series of ugly police-related incidents spiraled out of control. Now, with social media, information distortion can truly explode into digital panic. On one day, two police incidents that felt related took place. In one, […]
