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,...
I have an immense love for theater. I also have another love: education. As a teacher, I love everything about education (okay, maybe not grading): the students, the literature, that amazing light bulb moment. However, one of the things that drew me to education was a man — William Shakespeare to be exact. Imagine my […]
It’s the realism of this story that I find so striking. Author E.A. Mann, in his debut novel, wrote something that could hit home with a lot of readers, as there is a focus on the struggles and thoughts we go through during everyday life. Some periods take more out of you than others, […]
On January 29, if you were to arrive late at Luna Loba: El Azufre [The Sulfur Moon] at AS220 Black Box Theater, you would have walked into a packed house, standing room only, to a completely silent moment on stage. In other venues, walking into that environment would cause a stir. But Shey Rivera, artistic director at […]
THU 9 Beer vs Wine Dinner: Do you like wine and the SO like beer? Argue no longer, this four course dinner pairs wine and beer with foods to please any palate. 6:30pm, 84 Tavern on the Canal, 15 Canal St, Westerly. eatdrinkri.com/events/84-tavern-canal-beer-vs-wine-dinner-featuring-dogfish-head SAT 11 Black & White Masquerade Ball: Join the Ocean House for […]
Just when you think that rock ‘n’ roll is just copying itself, someone puts out a record that turns the genre on its head. With a flurry of twangy garage punk comes Ron Gallo and his second full-length, Heavy Meta. It’s unapologetically raw and absolutely electrifying. There’s also a trademark spin that Gallo puts on the […]
One of my favorite literary quotes is from Stephen King’s, Cell, a gory tale in which most of the US population is turned into zombies by a frequency transmitted via their cell phones. Shortly before getting her brains bashed in by a lurching humanoid, one of the few remaining survivors says, “Don’t ever assume. ASSUME […]
In these unsettling times, it’s appropriate for Burbage Theatre Company to present a look at barbaric and cold-blooded human beings. Bennett Fisher’s Don’t Be Evil explores the world of “enhanced interrogation,” government surveillance and modern technology. This is a disturbing and provocative show, well directed by Jeff Church. William Webster (Dillon Medina), a brilliant […]
With all the angst and distress the recent presidential election has caused some, perhaps a good political comedy is in order. Ocean State Theatre Company’s current production, Born Yesterday, may be just enough to, at least temporarily, ease the suffering. Playwright, musician, comedian, actor, writer, raconteur and all-around renaissance man Garson Kanin’s witty look at […]
Valentine’s Day is coming up, a holiday that baffles more people than any other holiday during the year. In the age of Tinder and Hallmark cards, how do you show your significant other/Tinderella you care? Even the classic Valentine’s Day dinner is almost impossible since everything from Federal Hill to the McDonald’s dollar menu is […]
