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,...
Laugh hysterically while witnessing the mayhem of a 1950s sitcom desperately trying to stay afloat in the ratings in the Ocean State Theatre Company’s production of Neil Simon’s Laughter on the 23rd Floor. Ocean State Theatre Company marked its one year anniversary with the opening of Neil Simon’s Laughter on the 23rd Floor. And, thanks […]
Discover the future filmmaker in your children while attending one of the many wonderful independent films at the Providence Children’s Film Festival. With school vacation fast approaching, the demand to go the movies will surely be forthcoming. This demand can be a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, your kids sit quietly for […]
Live music becomes a gateway to love It’s easy to become consumed with finding the right partner. Our primal urges combined with ego fulfillment turn love into something to be obtained, rather than something that is all around us. As a conscious being, will you ever truly be happy fulfilling these animal instincts? Joy does […]
Restaurants, like hotels, have ghosts. People meet, fall in love, fall out of love, gather, pray, eat, reunite, talk business and sometimes even pass away at these establishments built solely to offer rest and sustenance to the paying public. And while a hotel play (of which there are plenty), takes advantage of the various ways […]
When Susie Prince, a typical San Diego Comic-Con science fiction nerd, learns she was invited to be on Nick Iandolo’s Dedham TV show, she gets a bit too excited. Prince runs onto the set practically dive tackling Iandolo. “Okay, okay, okay, Susie, take it easy; calm down! Phil! Get this girl off me!” Iandolo shouted […]
Astrological profiles of RI’s prominent “I channel the stuff. That’s how it feels,” says Mark Taber, one of Rhode Island’s Golden Nuggets. His musical talent is legendary and his quirky fabrications, created from discarded items, are in a class by themselves. He is creative, innovative, avant-garde and anything but run-of-the-mill. Mark is a Capricorn. Yes, […]
Artist Aimee is bending the norm with elastic, colorful surrealism I get around a bit and with a lifetime of exhibitions under my belt, I like to catch non-gallery shows almost anywhere. It helps keep me sane and it’s often the place with the freshest stuff — regardless of style or origin. It gives folks […]
Second Story’s Baldpate spins a tangled web of ever-escalating insanity Seven Keys to Baldpate, which began in previews on January 24 at Warren’s 2nd Story Theatre, is a dizzy, frenetically funny farce. It runs through February 23 at the UpStage theater. Directed by Ed Shea with a script that writer George M. Cohan based on a best-selling […]
Okay, I’m an old crusty beatnik. You’d have to drag me into a Starbucks (here come the lawsuits) kicking and screaming. And yet, a place like Julians on Broadway in Providence, well, I can’t wait to return to. I’ll explain. For me, Starbucks is little more than a Burger King or McD’s that sells overpriced […]
RI skaters deliver a raw look into the local scene with Portfolio On the evening of December 21st at the Casino Theatre in Newport, skateboard enthusiasts, gathered for the premier of Portfolio; filmed by Greg Mallozzi and edited by Reilly Graham, featuring a number of individual local skaters– some who identify with the 401 Krew and […]
