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,...
To The Editor: The May 27th commentary that dominated the editorial page with yet another large, beautifully rendered artist’s conception of the proposed AAA ballpark features the headline DOWNTOWN PARK WILL BE R.I. GEM needs careful scrutiny. If only we could substitute ‘park’ wherever ‘ballpark’ is featured in the commentary’s twelve paragraphs, we could join […]
The talk these days in Rhode Island is that we have to give large real estate tax breaks to speculators looking to build in the 195 lands if we are to get the “development” that will save the Rhode Island economy. The reality is that give aways to the rich harm economies through promoting greater […]
Many things remind me of summer. Del’s, the window at Newport Creamery, the Rustic, and Shakespeare in the park. It’s not summer without these things! The Rhode Island Shakespeare Theater (TRIST) has been giving Rhode Islanders free Shakespeare shows under the direction of Bob Colonna since 1971. This summer, with the beautiful city as their […]
The Providence Gay Men’s Chorus have delivered a relentlessly upbeat show with their new spring concert. The theme is “Get Happy,” and the song selections are guaranteed to get you in a happy mood. Under the direction of Kim Kuda, the chorus hit nothing but high notes in their 20-song set. The concerts will continue through Jun 7 […]
A mid-’20s computer coder named Caleb wins a mysterious contest to spend a week at a secluded location with Nathan, the reclusive head of the internet search engine company Caleb works for. It seems that all of the secrecy regarding the getaway is that Nathan is in the final stages of perfecting AI and […]
One of those talented indie rock acts from the musical wasteland of the late ’90s that’s still going strong, Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin, still puts out consistently great music, stays away from the mainstream and influences a lot of up-and-coming acts. The quintet from Springfield, MO, has their latest release out — The High […]
You don’t usually hear Lou Barlow’s name in a list of influential songwriters, which is a shame. Through his work with Sebadoh, Dinosaur Jr., Folk Implosion and even his solo material, Barlow’s melancholy, genuine and heartfelt style has left quite an imprint on a lot of independent bands and musicians, despite the fact that it […]
RI has an opportunity to take the lead in a new area of economic development and gain tens of millions of dollars in tax revenue, but it must act immediately before the initiative is lost to neighboring states. By taking a “wait and see” attitude, state legislators in the General Assembly will let the critical […]
Neil Simon’s Lost in Yonkers is a play about family and kindness. I have never seen a production of this play that emulated that theme from the moment you stepped in the door — from the set construction, which was a family affair, to the lovely family created onstage — until I saw Rhode Island […]
Epic Theatre Company’s production of Orlando, based on the novel by Virginia Woolf, questions our view of the sexes with stunning efficiency. Written by Sarah Ruhl and directed by Kira Hawkridge, Orlando is a parody of a biography. The book was inspired by Woolf’s admiration for the author and aristocrat Vita Sackville-West, to whom it is dedicated. […]
