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,...
Fore! You don’t have to play golf to dine at the Green Valley Country Club. Their bar and restaurant — 19th Hole — is open to the public year round for dining as well as special events. Chef John St Angelo took his Italian-style cooking and family recipes handed down for generations, and added it […]
Take a little of “Orange is the New Black,” sprinkle in a bit of “Desperate Housewives,” and you get Epic Theatre Company’s new production, These Ruthless Bitches. The show is loosely based on Claire Booth Luce’s The Women, a comedy of manners in New York high society. These Ruthless Bitches transplants the milieu to a […]
Over nearly two decades, the Rhythm & Roots Music and Dance festival down at Ninigret Park in Charlestown has steadily built a brand and a growing fan base. In that time, the event itself has expanded exponentially, from a scruffy, honky-tonk affair scored by unfamiliar but talented Louisiana musicians to a more, well, blockbuster experience […]
As you’re reading this, it has already happened. The daytime sounds of kids playing in their backyards or poolside are replaced by early morning school buses. Lazy days of August are transitioning into the hustle and bustle of back to work reality and the warm, dewy nights, previously only disturbed by subtle breezes, have an […]
I have a confession to make. After multiple attempts, I never got into The Black Keys’ Turn Blue that came out last year. I found a lot of the album boring without a lot of the trademark emphatic grooves from the duo’s past in their latest release. One thing I do love right now is […]
Do you have a nickname? My nickname has been Ravioli since middle school, but lots of people just call me Ravs now. What’s your favorite book? I’m a comic book girl. Scott Pilgrim vs The World. What’s your favorite TV show? “Broad City” and I’m seriously shocked I haven’t been added to the cast yet… […]
Kumiko is a 29-year-old office lady in Tokyo with no career prospects and no boyfriend, but she does have a VHS tape of Fargo and she believes it will lead her to “untold riches.” Kumiko abandons her life in Japan and heads to America in search of the money Steve Buscemi’s character buried at […]
That’s right fans of “Mystery Science Theater 3000,” Joel Hodgson himself will be making a personal appearance at the Greenwich Odeum on September 18 and 19. There will be two nights of events, which will include screenings, Q and A s and a meet-and-greet. Joel Hodgson is one of the creators and stars of “Mystery […]
I love Mel Brooks. I can still watch Blazing Saddles and crack up with each viewing! So going into Theatre by the Sea’s production of Young Frankenstein, I had high hopes. I was not disappointed. You are seated and immediately your eyes are drawn to the beautifully painted scrim on stage. It’s painted in black […]
In a world where acts of terrorism, violence and despair dominate the news, Ginny Fox, founder of the Peace Flags Project, has a different message: One of hope. “We are all peace makers. Peace is active, peace is personal and peace is communal. The power is in our hands.” Ginny’s inspiration for the Peace Flags Project came […]
