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...
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...
In celebration of Women’s History Month, I am spotlighting a culinary trailblazer who’s adding her own special flavor to Rhode Island’s food scene. On Hope Street in Providence, something extraordinary is happening. Chef Milena Pagán, the vibrant force behind Little Sister restaurant, is cooking up more than just delicious food — she’s serving heritage, independence, […]
Okee dokee folks… I have been noticing a trend with folks who go out to shows; their “pop-up timers” have been going off at 9:30. At first I thought it was just older folks who retreated back to their couches at that time, but then I realized it was people of all ages. What is […]
Since March is Women’s History Month, it seemed appropriate to highlight some stellar female artists making their mark on the local music scene. Bee and The Boys Fronted by vocalist Belinda Landry, Bee and The Boys is a four-piece group who have been making their way around southern RI for the past year, playing crowd-favorite […]
Elon Musk has asked us to forward the following email to all Motif readers: Please tell us what you have read in the past week. If you have not read enough of Motif’s content, you will no longer be allowed to read Motif. To quote my boss, “You’re Fired.” We declined to email y’all. We […]
One of the first articles I wrote for Motif, years ago, was a review of Heather Rigney’s debut novel, Waking the Merrow. I was immediately locked into the humorous story of Evie McFadden and Nomia, her mermaid nemesis. The Pawtuxet Village setting gave a sense of familiarity that enhanced my enjoyment. Rigney followed that up […]
The city of Providence has released a new Life at Night Report that examines the after-hours economy in PVD (see our article from last issue at motifri.com/brettsbillion-dollar-bulletin-the-life-at-night-report). The report was developed over recent years through the Department of Arts, Culture, Tourism (ACT). Joe Wilson Jr, former Trinity Rep actor and director, and current director of […]
In her book of ant poetry, Sawako Nakayasu, an artist and professor at Brown University, describes keeping ants close to her heart, from both metaphorical and literal perspectives. Ants have been close to my heart for years, and as we move through women’s history month, we wanted to highlight the work and legacies of some […]
Entering New Age Barbering Co. at 8 Freebody St in Newport comes with a feeling of relief that many women wish was more familiar to barbershops everywhere. Rather than walking into obnoxious chatter and intimidation, I was greeted with soft music and a cozy waiting room that immediately quelled my anxieties about entering such a […]
When I moved to San Diego, I decided to attend one of the area’s popular group rides, which typically attracted over 100 participants every Saturday. With multiple ride categories — A, B, C, D, and two developmental groups — I carefully chose the D group to avoid the pressure of keeping up while I was […]
Just about a year ago, the North Burial Ground cemetery’s most-visited gravesite was burglarized when two copper medallions were stolen from the memorial of Edward Mitchell Bannister, a prominent Black artist who resided in Providence throughout the late 1800’s. On February 27th, 2025, two community leaders and kickass women, Ulli Ryder and Victoria Gao, reignited […]
