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...
In Greece, after you’ve just taken your first bite of freshly made dolmades, delicately constructed stuffed grape leaves dipped in a cool tzaziki sauce — when that involuntary moan of approval escapes from your lips, the word you’re looking for is “nostimo.” Delicious. By way of introduction, my name is Jenny, and I am a […]
NecronomiCon attracts more than just Lovecraft geeks. It also attracts Lovecraft gamers. Every convention, a massive group of gamers ascends from the deep to partake in one of dozens of table-top gaming events taking place all weekend in several Lovecraft-themed rooms and tables. “My favorite thing about the gaming community is the diversity. You never know […]
Between August 17 and 20, literary lovers and aficionados of gaming, the occult and monsters will travel to Providence from across the world — not because of our status as Creative Capital, but because we’re the birthplace of HP Lovecraft. More than 2,000 people attended the last NecronomiCon in 2015, and in its third year, […]
Clown Car The shower of assholes that President Pussy-Grabber has brought into the White House is frightening and disturbing. It makes 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue a place where you would go if you wanted to take your skin for a crawl. But for columnists everywhere, it is a godsend, as the clown car rolls through the […]
1. Saturday, August 5: Rancid & Dropkick Murphys with The Bouncing Souls, Jake Burns (of Stiff Little Fingers); 4:30pm gates / 6pm show; $39.50 advance / $45 day of; All ages; Brockton Fairgrounds, Brockton, Mass. It is August and if you are like me, you forgot to do many summer things and time is winding down. Here’s a perfect […]
The biggest draw for Foo Fest has to be the huge number of bands performing (see opposite page). But Foo-goers who head downtown on August 12 also can find plenty of food, art and more of the funky stuff that AS220 has been bringing to Rhode Islanders for 30 years. For those who would like to stretch their artistic […]
Jean Philippe Barros is in his second term as a state representative, after serving three terms on the Pawtucket City Council and three years on the city’s Juvenile Hearing Board. On July 17, Barros planned to take the first step toward adding another title to his lengthy resume: police officer, starting the municipal training academy […]
The Stadium Theatre will host a production of the smash rock musical American Idiot from August 11 through the 13th. Featuring songs from Green Day’s Grammy Award-winning album, the show follows the journey of a new generation of young Americans as they struggle to find meaning in a post-9/11 world. Mike Daniels plays Johnny, a […]
If, like the AltFacts team, you’ve been thinking the current national administration resembles Lord of the Flies, nature may agree. If you missed that William Golding novel in high school, it’s about an island where pre-adolescents have been left to fend for themselves. They start out resourceful, but quickly disintegrate into pig-worship and all sorts of […]
It was only up until a couple years ago that Casey Pomes ate meat. It’s not how you expect a story of a new vegan food start-up to begin. At the age of 26, he found himself with a case of early-onset arthritis from the elevated levels of uric acid in his system. One of […]
