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...
On the “Weekend Update” satirical news segment on Saturday Night Live. anchor Colin Jost displayed a snapshot of an unhinged rant laced with profanity in the form of a Donald Trump post to Truth Social,...
Sometimes the best art comes from pain and loneliness. It can be a fantastically brilliant antidote for whatever the artist is feeling. With his 16th studio album, Prisoner, due out on February 17, Ryan Adams examines misery and heartache. It’s intense and honest, and each song tells a story of emotional strain. The album proves […]
From a horse rescue operation in Saunderstown to the restoration of an historic grist mill in South Kingstown to a rolling library run by volunteers and a home repair program that helps elderly residents stay in their homes — the impact has been deep and wide across the southern part of Rhode Island the past five […]
Habla Loco? The Hispanic community in Little Rhody had every right to be proud of District Court Judge Rafael Ovalles when he became the first Latino to be elevated to the bench by Governor Donald Carcieri in 2005. He was an especially good role model for his nephew, young Angel Taveras (P&J simply adore him), […]
An Evening with Lol Tolhurst, Founding Member of The Cure I’ve been a fan of The Cure for almost 30 years and don’t recall anything remotely related to them ever happening in Providence. That is part of what makes this a special night as co-founder Lol Tolhurst comes to town to promote his new book, […]
Marisa Campinha Where do you practice? I began at East Providence Tattoo about three years ago. How did you get into this line of work? I was infatuated with art since I was a kid — always drawing, painting and tagging anything I could. I came into the shop with a friend one day and met one of the artists here […]
Okee dokee folks…We had a blizzard. Wasn’t that fun? This latest storm was like the Super Bowl for the local TV weather folks. They love to hype them. Milk and bread, baby — they must be getting kickbacks. I don’t mind the snow, but I don’t like the hype. Yes, it is a LOT of […]
The Wizard of Oz is a beloved classic for a very good reason. This tale of a Kansas farm girl who ends up in the glorious world of Oz has a lot of heart. Stadium Theatre’s production of the show boasts some charming performances and impressive special effects. Alex Duprey is an appealing Dorothy, […]
Musicians usually play one of four instruments. The assortment of guitar, bass, drums and piano is common, not discounting the high school band geek who can play a mean horn. Then there are the musicians who think outside the box. One of those is Mike Silverman, also known as That 1 Guy. He performs using his […]
Honest Abe: I cannot tell a lie Donald Trump: I cannot tell if what I just said was a lie. HA: I stole that line from George Washington DT: I didn’t steal that line from Bane. Or Michelle Obama. HA: A house divided against itself cannot stand DT: If you have a house divided against […]
The deceptively humble bagel is a culinary art form: bagel connoisseurs are notorious for their exacting demands for just the right hard crust, just the right soft interior, and of course just the right taste. An entire literary subgenre can be found complaining about how there is nowhere to get a good bagel outside of […]
