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,...
The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. — Edmund Burke, philosopher and politician, and a big fan of the American Revolution, 1729-1797. While visions of sugar plums and the French Resistance dance in your heads after the abomination on November 8, let us please turn our attention […]
In a traditionally very blue state, the town of Scituate, Rhode Island, has been an outlier. In fact, the Republican Party has controlled the town council going back to 1913 and it looked like the domination wasn’t going to change anytime soon. That is, until a group of four political newcomers got together last year — […]
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story will open nationwide on December 16 and for some, this entry in the long-running Star Wars saga is the most anticipated. After the fan-disappointing prequel trilogy and the good will earned by last years Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Rogue One is being anticipated with excitement and high expectations, especially […]
Fake News For many years Phillip & Jorge thought of ourselves as pioneers of fake news, but that was long before the current virulent strain of fake news arrived. It is all quite sad and we take no responsibility for this recent crop of hate-inspired crap. Best Intentions The story of Dan Doyle, the founder […]
2016 has been a hell of a year. And with a Tweeting Tyrant poised to enter the White House, we totter precariously into 2017. Most of us are going to make resolutions; this is a year to make them count. If you haven’t yet made up your mind, I have a suggestion: Make a resolution […]
The last column of the year for music journalists is typically reserved for “Best of” lists, or so says my inbox, which is flooded with suggestions from various publicists. Anyways, here is a bunch of “Best of” from the 2016, including national records, local records and best bets to ring in the New Year. I’d […]
For the dancers at Festival Ballet Providence, the year’s production of The Nutcracker will be remembered as the year “The Grinch Tried to Steal Misha’s Nutcracker.” For nearly 20 years, the company has been staging artistic director Mihailo “Misha” Dujric’s version of this holiday classic. About one week before Thanksgiving, Djuric and his assistant went to […]
I must admit that my jaw dropped when I opened my program and saw there were over 30 people involved in The Radioactive Theatre Company’s holiday show Carol’s Christmas. While the cast was, to borrow from our President-Elect, “YUGE,” the Artic Playhouse is most definitely not, and I was wondering how director David McLoud, […]
A Gentleman’s Guide To Love and Murder is a clever comic confection with wonderful songs and excellent performances. Kevin Massey is tremendously appealing as Monty Navarro, a man who kills his relatives to gain the title of Earl of Highhurst. Monty’s recently departed mother was a member of the wealthy D’Ysquith family, according to Miss […]
Ringing in their 17th Anniversary as one of the top record and vintage stores in Providence, What Cheer Records + Vintage has a few things special planned for December 18. Not many independent small businesses can say they have been around as long as What Cheer has, and it’s a wonderful opportunity for shoppers to […]
