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...
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 evidenced by...
“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,...
Lukas and Elias are twins whose mother has just returned from reconstructive plastic surgery following some sort of unexplained accident. The boys become convinced that who or what is in their home is most certainly not their mother. After a series of tests, confrontations and continued abnormal behavior from their mother, the boys decide […]
It’s that time again. With two shows a year, Boston Calling has quickly become one of the East Coast’s best music festivals. A mix of established superstars, talented up-and-comers and a couple locals sprinkled in makes for an incredible experience. As New England slowly but surely creeps into fall, the 6th edition of the festival […]
There’s something heartening about a family business, buoyed by the business owner’s dream to work hard to build up a strong company that sustains itself long enough to be passed down to children. I picture many proud parents watching as their kids slowly (or quickly) work their way up the company, learning the family business […]
“When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro.” – Hunter Thompson We don’t live in a sane world. We’re not safe behind bars. Here, on the other side of the gates of privilege, a lot of us have wandered into the trenches. It’s an easy place to get lost for a while. When I […]
The Theater Company of Rhode Island is celebrating its 30th year in a new venue in Chepachet. It’s a great benefit to theater lovers in Rhode Island to have companies from north to south. The September play, Best Of Friends by James Elward, is a lively comedy that takes us through family clashes, secrets and […]
In case you’re not getting news from any other local source this week, there have been some interesting developments in the Pawtucket Red Sox Epic. The PawSox themselves have indicated that they will not be moving to the proposed wedge of I-195 land they have been prospecting for the past several months, indicating that governor […]
Day of Absence, now being performed at Pawtucket’s Mixed Magic Theatre, is a scathing satire of racism set in the deep South. Written in 1965 by Douglas Turner Ward, a black playwright who founded the Negro Ensemble Theatre, the play examines the effect on the white residents of a small town when all the black […]
It’s hard to believe, but The Turbo A.C.’s have been kicking up a punk rock ruckus for 20 years. They bring it with fist-pumping adrenalized anthems. I’ve always liked The Turbo A.C.’s because their tunes mix the fury of punk rock with infectious surf hooks. In the post-apocalypse world, The Turbo A.C.’s will probably be considered […]
As we entered the dark Fete Music Hall to check in, my favorite college sex educator and I were welcomed to An Affair to Remember, the gala 5th anniversary fundraiser for Rhode Island’s own Center for Sexual Pleasure & Health. The Center’s mission, as told to me by their Interim Executive Director, Kira Manser, is to […]
Michigan is known musically for bringing the fuzz, being incredibly innovative and always unleashing badass rock ‘n’ roll. You have an extensive history of bands like The Stooges, The MC5, The White Stripes & The Suicide Machines giving substance to Michigan’s reputation of being a bastion for highly amplified tunes. A band on the rise from Grand Rapids […]
