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...
The tattoo artist who goes by Mish, of Fall River, MA, created this month’s cover. “I got the nickname when I was younger, and it just kinda stuck,” she says. Also, it stirs a little...
APR 21 Shoreline Cleanup, 10am, Rocky Point, Warwick. APR 22 – EARTH DAY Earth Day Cleanup, 8am, Burrillville Department of Public Works, 65 Union Ave, Harrisville. Boyden Heights Conversation Area Clean Up, 9am, 116 Boyden Blvd, East Providence. Celebrate National Parks Week Cleanup, 9am, Roger Williams National Memorial, 282 N Main St, PVD. Clean Days […]
Have you ever experienced a sense of wonderful excitement from something in the air around you – a natural inspiration? Rain is one of them. When air moves around mountains, water or the beach, it contains tens of thousands of negative ions — not found in closed homes or offices. With these invisible molecules, it […]
I transcend the three flights of stairs at 95 Empire Street and pass through the dance studio door at AS220, encountering yon Tande and Jude Sandy — together known as Denizen Arts in their creative endeavors — talking through a run of their premiere collaboration, “Walk the (pink) Elephant.” White quilts hang from the rafters […]
Get Gored For Good is an annual spring charity fundraiser for Amos House held this year on the morning of Sunday, April 30, and modeled on the famed Running of the Bulls. Teams of runners compete for weeks to raise donations, culminating in a day of just-for-fun racing around the streets of Providence on a […]
Round the roller track the Riveters roll to roust and rejuvenate their record with a Rhodey Robin against their relentlessly renowned rivalry and other revved up renegades! On Saturday, April 22, and Sunday, April 23, at Thayer Arena in Warwick, Providence Roller Derby will be hosting the Rhodey Robin, a round-robin style tournament featuring the […]
That ever-so-famous phrase, “punk is dead,” has been said by at least one person a day giving their opinion on music, but whoever says that hasn’t experienced what has been happening in Providence recently. Hairspray Queen are a bunch of kids who play emphatic hardcore punk that’s intense and emotional. Downtown Boys have been gaining […]
A smooth track with a poignant beat can leave a lasting impression, pleasing the senses while sparking artistic intrigue. Portland, Oregon, artist Alexandra Savior has that going on with her debut album Belladonna of Sadness that was released on April 8. She has a brand of alt-pop heavily rooted in jazz and vintage R&B, a […]
1. Monday April 10; Westminster Yacht Club; Ogie’s Trailer Park, 1155 Westminster St, PVD; No Cover! 21+ only. 9pm to 1am. Shameless self promotion time! DJ Haulin’ Boats (yours truly) and DJ Dan Steely (fellow Motif’er Marc Clarkin) will be slipping out the jams on the first Monday of every month at Ogie’s Trailer Park, “an urban […]
FRI 14 Olivia Newton-John: That girl from Grease performs – come and get physical. 8pm, Twin River, 100 Twin River Rd, Lincoln. twinriver.com SAT 15 Unscene: Zombie Peeps: This easter-themed fetish night and dance party is sure to put you in the holiday mood of celebrating the resurrection of Christ. 10pm, Aurora, 276 Westminster […]
Dear C: I realize now that I got involved with “Jack” because I was lonely. He’s creative, entertaining, and really cute, but he also had drastic mood swings and seemed lost without attention. I didn’t mind “sharing” him with several other women he’d call or message when the impulse struck him to “get his thoughts […]
