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 am an adjunct teacher at a university and a freelance artist. I know the other teachers at the school pretty well; we often take turns using the same classrooms and, out of need, share supply closets. One of the teachers, Todd, is also a freelance artist. Unbeknownst to me, he’d done work […]
As of midnight on July 1, cannabis is officially legal for adult use and sale in Nevada. Those 21 and older have been allowed to be in possession of the product since January 1, and storefronts are now allowed to retail it as well. The city celebrating the most is, unsurprisingly, Las Vegas. Known as […]
The Yellow Wallpaper is a short story by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, which was first published in 1892 and has lived on in college syllabi ever since. It’s an important piece of literature as it explores women’s physical and mental health, and it is one of the go-to pieces many people think of when it comes to […]
Seattle soul-rock act Pickwick has always been about capturing a vibe. The band exudes infectious charisma that makes their music shine. Their sophomore full-length LoveJoys due out on Jul 7 via Small Press Records enters a disco funk realm that finds a groove. It’s a tad different than the raw essence of their 2013 debut […]
Dear Nick, Happy 4th of July! The intersection of everything going on in Washington, DC, and the celebration of our declaration of independence from tyranny got me to thinking. We are knee deep in strange times. Our president is a tiny-handed man who is clearly more comfortable mocking daytime television hosts through social media than […]
You will not find a single subject to more perfectly divide beer nerds than that of beer cocktails. There are two schools of thought: The first is that a delicious beer can and should be combined with complementary flavors in creative and interesting ways. The second is that mixing beer with anything else is blasphemous […]
A common phrase from a skater is that “derby is for everybody.” This is true — there are skaters ranging in age from their early 20s to their late 50s, from all ethnicities, from multiple faiths and cultural backgrounds, and all forms of gender identity. What goes under the radar is that the next breed […]
The Community Players are closing out their 96th season with their production of the classic George S. Kaufman/Moss Hart comic play You Can’t Take It With You. The show opens on July 7 and runs through the July 16. The large cast includes Michael Anthony, Laura Benjamin, Michelle Golda, Bradford Greer, Richard Griffin, Ashley Lopes, Daniel […]
Rhode Island’s Dick Lupino has done it all. He’s a talented veteran bassist, guitar player, torch-singer, business man and important local music agent.packed into one. Dick is known for leading group performances at weddings, parties and high society gatherings. A graduate of the New England Conservatory (Boston), he has played with symphony orchestras, jazz combos […]
It’s summer. It’s hot. Weak chins come out in droves as men shed their beards, and more skin can be seen thanks to crop tops, short shorts and bikinis. We can sit around the unbearable house being miserable, trying to get the rooms cool with an old, inefficient air conditioner, or we can retreat to […]
