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,...
VOTE HERE! "May your tattoo ink never run dry," as the ancient Portlandian blessing goes, has rarely been more applicable. Motif is proud to partner again with Narragansett Brewery to bring you the RI Tattoo Awards,...
Okee dokee folks… We are in that grey (yes, I spell it that way!) area that is the end of summer/beginning of fall. We can thankfully, hopefully bid adieu to the heat of that nasty season of summer. The festivals and outdoor events begin to wind down and the indoor shows start kicking back up. […]
Guitar Wolf Japanese super fuzz troopers Guitar Wolf return to town for the first time in over a decade to blast out some primal rock ‘n’ roll. This may be the best show we have coming to the area this fall. Expect some heavy ear damage, and you’ll love every minute of it. Guitar Wolf […]
1.Sunday, September 4: Scurvy Dog Parking Log Mega Show II; 2pm; Free; 21+ but children with parents welcome; Scurvy Dog, 1718 Westminster St, Providence. Here we are at the end of the summer, and running out of options to be outside and drunk while listening to music. Here is your chance to do so and catch […]
Thru Sunday, September 4 Sister Act, Theatre by the Sea, 364 Cards Pond Rd, Wakefield. Based on the classic film starring Whoopi Goldberg, a show featuring lots of singing nuns. theatrebythesea.com Friday, September 2 Rhode Island Peace Fest 6: Promoting Love, Unity and Culture: A forum showcasing local poets, emcees, deejays, musicians, artists and dancers […]
The fall beer season has been underway for a few weeks – the pumpkin brews and Oktoberfests are abundant on shelves and taps. ’Tis also the season for the year’s biggest beer bashes and other autumnal attractions. So here’s the Got Beer? guide to where to find the Big Get Beer! events in the coming […]
What Would a Moron Do? Anyone who was even vaguely surprised at the Ryan Lochte Karioca Kops incident at the Olympic Games in Rio evidently missed his former reality show, “What Would Ryan Lochte Do?” on the E! network back in 2013. Probably because it only ran for eight episodes before the producers evidently did their […]
Thursday, August 25 – Sunday, August 28 Templecon: An array of costumes, classic arcade games, panel discussions, charity events, and non-stop live music and performances, this festival is no side-kick to larger gatherings of its kind. Crowne Plaza, Hotel 801 Greenwich Ave. Warwick. templecon.org. Saturday, August 27 The Big Kahuna 2: Feat. Mushroomhead, Carnivora, Crossing Rubicon […]
Almost from its inception into mainstream America with Elvis wiggling his hips on “The Milton Berle Show,” rock music has had an awkward and sometimes downright tumultuous relationship with Christianity. In its earliest years, Baptist preachers across the nation chastened their primarily Caucasian congregations that the very rhythms of this nascent genre would drive their […]
This Friday, August 26, marks the release of Mangy Love by Cass McCombs, a fascinating singer-songwriter based out of California. The album is McCombs’ eighth full-length, produced by Elliot Smith alum Rob Schnapf and Dan Horne, featuring appearances by California guitar wiz-kid Blake Mills and NC-based singer Angel Olsen. Known for being a quiet drifter-type, he’s […]
William Fichtner is a prolific character actor with a long and prominent body of work. If you don’t recognize the name, you definitely would recognize his distinctive face — stretched and doe-eyed — as that of the obsessive detective in Prison Break, or perhaps the leader of the free world (by default, since everyone else […]
