Photo by Lillian Karboski. 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 Producer...
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,...
VOTING OPEN NOW! VOTE HERE 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 community. The live celebration,...
Brown University’s The Love Song of J. Robert Oppenheimer is a winner. Every element of the production – the staging, the performances, the sound effects – is first-rate. Jason Roth beautifully plays the famed theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, who developed the atomic bomb in a secret government laboratory in New Mexico during World […]
Rodgers and Hammerstein. There are no names in the history of Broadway that carry quite the same gravitas. The duo were masters of their craft, as evidenced by their repertoire of beloved musicals that continue to delight audiences more than half a century later. Their songs are enchanting, their characters are iconic, and their stories […]
Nashville musician Patrick Sweany has never been one to conform to his surroundings. In a city where country is kind, Sweany brings an invigorating blend of roots, blues and Motown soul to his music. His style incorporates a natural aesthetic that shows his heart as a distinct part of everything he does with a guitar. His voice […]
In defense of Kaepernick, when I joined the army, I did not swear to uphold the national anthem. I did not swear to protect the flag. I swore an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States of America (and protect the land from enemies both foreign and domestic). Now I know ya’ll are thinking, “Yeah, […]
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is a wholly remarkable book. Though it contains many omissions and much of it is apocryphal, or at least wildly inaccurate, it has become the main book of reference for much of the galaxy. In the entry for Rhode Island Comic Con, it begins like this: “Rhode Island Comic […]
Unlike “cool,” the undefeated champion of slang words, “nerd” means many things to many people. It was once an insult hurled by jocks at smart kids who ate paste and never got laid. Now it’s shorthand for obsession. Whether you’re a comic book nerd, a political nerd, a vinyl nerd or any other variety of […]
Bleed for This, the story of RI boxing legend Vinny “Paz” Pazienza is a film that many on the filmmaking side figuratively bled for as well. Producer Chad Verdi, of Verdi Productions and founder of Woodhaven Films, was driven to enter the industry by his interest in this film. Now the result is receiving Oscar […]
Do you have a nickname? I have a few nicknames. I’m called Little Em, Goo, Goobles, Emmygoo, Nenny, Nen, and my grandfather called me Hellbones. What do you never leave home without? The feeling that I’ve forgotten something. What’s your favorite book? Jacob have I Loved, by Katherine Patterson. I’ve read it once a year […]
Bleed for This, a film documenting local boxer Vinny Paz’s recovery from a neck injury, premieres next month. In advance of the premiere, Motif contributor and friend of the Pazman, Mike Messier, interviewed him. Mike Messier: A Vinny Paz feature film has been speculated about for years. The general movie goer does not realize the money, […]
Should you find yourself in need of a respite from the Comic Con fray, take a short walk down to Aurora on Westminster. There, you’ll find so much more than a music venue. But a bar – and a beautiful, fully loaded, revamped menu for the fall. And, if you’re like me, you’ll order The […]
