Extreme Heat Warning in effect from July 1, 10:00 AM EDT until July 4, 08:00 PM EDT At Providence, an Extreme Heat Warning is effective Wed, Jul 1, 10am to Sat, Jul 4, 8pm. Afternoon temperatures/heat...
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...
“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...
Hey there cocktail lovers and home mixologists! You’ve got plans Monday, May 19, at 7pm. That’s right. Dun dun dun dunnnnn: It’s the 6k IronTender BarsWar Challenge finale at Twin Rivers Casinos. Huh? For the past five weeks, mixologists, bartenders, cocktail geniuses and spirits novices from Rhode Island, Connecticut and Massachusetts all descended upon that, […]
Spring has sprung! The birds are chirping, the air is filled with the woefully and distinctly semen-ish scent of the blossoming native Callery Pear trees, and new businesses are opening their doors like crocuses unfolding their petals, shaking off the dirt of seasons past and tilting their hopeful faces toward the sun. Since last October, […]
How many of us would take the opportunity to escape our humdrum lives for something more exciting? That’s the situation faced by Becky (Margaret Melozzi) in Becky’s New Car, which debuted on May 2 and runs until June 1 at Warren’s 2nd Story Theater. Becky works as a title clerk for an auto dealer. She […]
No one can deny that Providence has some of the best restaurants in the Northeast, but as far as ethnic food, Italian and Mexican seem to dominate the spectrum. Opened just weeks ago, the new Dean Hotel is throwing some German food into the mix. Faust Hofbrauhaus is downtown Providence’s newest culinary addition, located on […]
Thanks Alison Blackwell for doing an AMAZING job on the cover of our May Issue Check out here portfolio here: http://blackwellportfolio.blogspot.com/
Believe it or not, Western Massachusetts has quite the music history when it comes to kick-ass alternative rock. You have Dinosaur Jr. hailing from Amherst along with ex-Sonic Youth punk rock power couple Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon who have lived there for nearly a decade. Miracle Legion and Polaris front man Mark Mulcahy call […]
When two musical entities get together to make an album, you never really know what to expect. It could be like that load of crap Metallica & Lou Reed put out a few years ago — and it’s still a shame it’s the last release with Lou’s name on it — or it could be […]
CORRECTION! The URI East Farm Spring Fest is on SATURDAY!! Not Tuesday
Hello Motif Readers, Yes, this letter is addressed to you, not my dear friend Nick Carraway. I realize that almost every missive addressed to him is usurped and perused by the Motif sphere of influence much the same way that a teenage girl knows her mother reads her diary. Some things are just the way […]
Why do artists lose steam? Most musicians want to continually develop their skills and have their music appreciated, but how do they keep things going? It’s like the moment you cut a fresh apple and it starts to brown at the edges. If it’s not fresh, it’s just not that appealing. Some of the most […]
