Skyler Shields (Kenickie) and the cast of the Theatre By The Sea (Wakefield, RI) production of “Grease” running thru July 18, 2026. Photo by Mark Turek. “A-wop-bop-a-loo-bop! A-wop-bam-boom!” BY ALISON O’DONNELL ON JUNE 27, 2026 Grease is the...
Heat Advisory in effect from July 14, 11:00 AM EDT until July 15, 08:00 PM EDT At Providence, a Heat Advisory is effective Tue, Jul 14, 11am, to Wed, Jul 15, 8pm. Afternoon temperatures/heat indices are...
Isham, Sheila. Teth (#8 Creation Series). 1972. Acrylic spray on canvas. Newport Art Museum, Newport, RI. (Image courtesy of the Newport Art Museum.) Quite some time ago, I read a quip that the art of diplomacy...
As an international student a year into Rhode Island, yet still only a breath into America, I finally found a question that I might be able to answer – this is my continued exploration of: What...
Tucked inside the historic Harrison Steam Complex in Providence's Olneyville neighborhood, Siren Spirits is redefining what a visit to a distillery can be. Equal parts neighborhood gathering place, cocktail destination, and craft spirits experience, this...
Music makes beer taste better? In 2016, Vrije University in Brussels, Belgium, conducted a study that showed scientific evidence that music has an impact on our taste of beer. This study concluded that lower audible...
Cold Chocolate. Okee dokee folks… Well, summer is here and for me, summer is HELL! A few years back I wrote a song about my disdain of Summer for the Empire Revue’s “Cool” show. Here are...
America, the focus of this issue, runs on wealth. So here’s how to get yourself some. It’s the perfect opportunity to launch a new column aimed at helping non-one-percenters with financial matters. Feel free to...
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“Foreigner.” I find it a harsh word that I hate seeing applied to others. Yet applied to myself, it’s the only word that half conveys how baffling I find this country at times. I’d like...
In his final year at college, cover artist William Schaff truly learned what it was like to work in a studio. “I developed a course of study in general fine arts with one of my...
Rachael Warren as Diana. Photo by Mark Turek. The Next to Normal audience is exposed to waves of raw emotions drowning your soul and dampening your eyes. You may wish you had premedicated with any of...
Blaq Sav. Photos by Lillian MK Photography. Favorite Free Verse Spoken Word 2026 Ashley Hosa Sending out a big congrats to Ashley Hosa, who came to the Spoken Awards with a multitude of wonderful supporters (shoutout to Ryan!)....
The founder of the long-standing hipster-ish West Side restaurant Julians hadn’t been involved directly with the restaurant in quite some time. But his legacy persisted. A larger-than-life personality, you never knew at what event Julian...
Renowned supporter of local music and arts Lisa Gourley (Sometimes Lisa Gourleyx) passed away on June 15. Reading reactions on social media, you can’t help but notice how often the words “nice,” “kind,” and “photography”...
This beautiful Solstice moment, June 21, 2026 brings the winds of change into our lives. The pivotal points among the planetary movers and shakers of the Zodiac find Gemini, with Uranus and Ceres, reaching across...
By Olivia Lunger By Lillian MK Photography ...
Favorite Color Tattoo Evan Olin, Powerline Tattoo Runner-up: Luis Bold, Unicorn Ink Favorite Black & Gray Ryan Dowden, Dark Ritual Runner-up: Luis Bold, Unicorn Ink Favorite Black & Gray with Color Steven McDonough, Secret Safe Tattoo Runner-up: Rachel WS, Rachel WS Fine Art...
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...
We sat down a few months ago with one of the organizers of RI’s Deportation Defense Line. The Defense Line’s origins are organic and multifaceted. No one person is in charge of it. No one...
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...
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 […]
In 2011, an impressive array of scientists and PhDs from around the world published their findings on the relationship of genetics to human performance. Their conclusion? If you want your kids to be great athletes, you’d better marry a great athlete. We would like to think that hard work and the right coach can compensate […]
Everyone likes to talk up the music coming out of New York City, and you can’t really blame them — The Big Apple has been a haven for musical excellence for over 50 years and that won’t be changing anytime soon. But what about upstate New York? Once in a while a band will come […]
There have always been a few artists who seem to have played with everyone and also have some solo success. Bruce Hornsby is an excellent example of this with his ability to play any style of music with any artist, and his creativity has gained him legendary status among numerous generations of music fans. Hornsby will […]
For the second year in a row, the fictional Boys of Saint Matthews are presenting their interpretation of a literary classic. Last year it was Tartuffe. This time they take on Christopher Hampton’s Les Liaisons Dangerueses, otherwise known as Dangerous Liaisons. The plot features enough wanton lust, deceit, seduction and betrayal to fill out a […]
From the UCLA classroom where the Internet first relayed to life as the Arpanet to the future possibilities of our worldwide connection, Werner Herzog’s newest film explores the multi-faceted concept that is our “connected world.” Not just the origins of the Internet are discussed, but also its multitude of uses, its dangerous side and even […]
Brooklyn post-hardcore act Husbandry have a chip on their shoulder. With a sound that resonates angst and fury, this quartet can’t go overlooked. They have their debut full-length, Fera, due out on August 25 and it’s an absolute scorcher of an album. Carina Zachary gets ferocious on the mic while guitarist Jordan Usatch’s riffs meld perfectly […]
For the past few summers the Electric Six have come to Providence like The Rapture to liberate souls from the sweltering heat and summer repeats. Electric Six don’t make many promises, but if you’re looking for a band to tell you about a dance epidemic, or better yet, bring you a dance epidemic, you’ll need […]
It’s always sad when a great band breaks up, and you can say that about Moga, a rock ‘n’ roll band that has the swampiness reminiscent of Creedence Clearwater Revival and is as soulfully genuine as The Band. It’s been a few years since they were playing venues within The Creative Capital and they’re getting back […]
As the nation continues to reel from conflicts with police, it’s increasingly important to gain information on local efforts to help ensure the safety of targeted communities in our home cities. Providence area writer and Motif contributor Christopher Johnson laid out many of the powerful intersectional realities of police tensions in Providence through the recounting […]
