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...
We sat down a few months ago with one of the organizers of RI’s Deportation Defense Line. The Defense Line’s origins are organic and multifaceted. No one person is in charge of it. No one...
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...
1. Matt Richardson 2. Damase Olsson 3. Nate Broomfield 4. John Almeida 5. Derek Luke 6. Anthony Barber 7. Tommy Tainsh 8. Morgan Clark Snyder Jr. 9. Armando DeDona 10. Steve Sharp 11. Sean Larkin 12. Rob DaRosa 13. Josh Letourneau 14. Dave Witham 15. Nichole Pelletier 16. Josh Schilling 17. Wesley Staschke 18. Dorian Rave 19. Josh Dunlap Cover illustration by Charlie Hall. A. […]
For 15 years, Baltimore rock ‘n’ roll energizers J. Roddy Walston & The Business have been tearing up the independent music circuit. Walston brings a vintage flair with his talents on piano and guitar while guitarist Billy Gordon, drummer Steve Colmus and bassist Logan Davis round out a stellar sound. The band walks the line […]
What do the ’60s mean to you? Karissa Lamoureux: The ’60s mean a time of peace and love and the idea of unity for a common ideal. It’s an era where people came together to be defiant and stand up for a positive cause. Compare the current administration to Kennedy’s. KL: Both the Kennedy and […]
I love places that have stories. Bayberry Beer Hall has a story, and they share it with their guests on the last page of every clipboard-style menu. The name Bayberry was chosen by the owners, Tom and Natalie Dennen, as a tribute to their Grandfather Morton. He owned a log cabin in coastal Maine. […]
Okee dokee folks… The other day I spoke with Judy Collins by phone about her upcoming show with Stephen Stills at the Park Theatre in Cranston on Satursday, October 7th. It took about twenty back and forth phone calls to have a conversation. I called. She called. We were cut off; we couldn’t hear each other. […]
Warwick’s Yvonne Monnett is a much sought-after jazz pianist accompanist throughout southern New England. Her Rhode Island musical roots began in Providence, beginning private piano lessons at age five. Young Yvonne wanted to become a seasoned jazz pianist. She improved her skills with important lessons obtained from the multi-talented Diamond Centofanti. Yvonne worked hard practicing […]
As of October 1, Colorado joined many other states in cracking down on infused product safety regulations. When recreational sales began in the Centennial State in 2014, edibles and other marijuana infused products (MIPs) became far more popular than legislators had planned for. Concerns were quickly raised about things such as overconsumption, dose consistency and […]
You may have seen Iris Creamer at Providence events, as she’s very supportive of creativity in the city. And listening to Creamer is an experience. Not only does she perform, she curates her own shows to showcase others! She recently dropped a short project called Denim, which speaks to her passion for creative expression. This project is […]
Forget wine, the new trend is to pair food with beer. It’s no longer relegated to hanging out with its buddy pizza. Restaurant chefs create intricate, unique menus to complement local craft beers. At home, beer goes beautifully with almost everything, especially tacos and spicy Asian dishes. It’s also a perfect accompaniment to both cheese and […]
