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,...
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. Want to see your favorite Rhode Island...
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,...
By Lillian MK Photography By Olivia Lunger By Izzy Cooke ...
The Music Awards went off without a hitch this year, and over the course of the evening more than 400 local music lovers dropped by to dance, listen, and cheer on fellow musicians. We'll have...
It’s often said (well, I definitely say this), that some of the deepest conversations and connected moments can happen while one is sitting in a car. This is certainly true for the duo, band, sisterhood...
Image: Olivia Lunger. Local Civil War re-enactor Bill Sherman was having trouble recruiting young people into the hobby, so he hit on a novel idea that is perfectly suited to Gen Z. He immediately telephoned his...
The Continental Congress, befooled. April Fool’s Day originated among the French a few years into the Revolutionary War. Thomas Jefferson and Ben Franklin had been pleading with them for any sort of assistance. The brand...
If you have been a craft beer lover over this past decade, you may remember when the first Rhode Island Brewery Passport was released. It was changed to an app in 2020. Six years later,...
After attending Chalumeau’s release party for their album BLUE at The Met in Pawtucket last August, I wrote that if you ever got the chance to see them perform live, you should jump on it....
On February 28, after 20 years of being a community staple for first dates, Super Tuesday regulars, and movie fanatics alike, CWTheaters (previously called CinemaWorld) was forced to shut its doors for good. The decline...
Last year, I had a blast and a half working on a fun commercial shoot. I landed the gig because the fella producing, Josh Kirk, asked around to find an actor to portray the client’s...
Photo: Jenn Lombari. @jennlombariphotography ssa lin has been making a local splash like a rockin’ rainstorm after a record-setting blizzard, since releasing her first single, “tallboys,” at the end of 2025. The feedback has been good,...
Here are some hot new local tracks to finish melting the ice. The Hopeless Romantics – “Quiet Kind” The third and final single from The Hopeless Romantics’ upcoming debut album, “Quiet Kind” is also a reworked...
Okee dokee folks… PLEASE stop using AI. The more it knows, the more it grows. We are feeding a beast that will someday destroy us. AI is not your friend, though it may pretend to...
Graphic by Olivia Lunger. ...
Hey idiot, why are you and your friends getting high indoors? Don't you know? We have a planet, a whole, big planet filled with trees, rivers, and critters. The outside world doesn't have to start...
Medical marijuana was legalized in Rhode Island in January 2006, and by May 2022 even recreational sales became legal through state-licensed dispensaries and authorized retailers. Yet it still isn’t safe for medical users to come out of the closet....
Cover artist Elliott Italiano of Jamestown is a self-made glass artist. As a young adult, Italiano's interests centered on fashion, inspiring thoughts of pursuing a degree in luxury marketing and design. He relates to his past...
MAD Magazine cover, Feb 2016: Donald Trump and Alfred E. Neuman We fought a military war; our opponents fought a political one. We sought physical attrition; our opponents aimed for our psychological exhaustion. In the process...
Cover artist Mina Miki of Providence calls her baby blanket her longest friend. “His name is Blankie, but now he looks less like a blanket and more like a piece of tangled silk,” she says....
Ah, Beervana. That blissful state one reaches when sampling the delectable glory of the Founders KBS, or cherishing the wonder of the ever-elusive Holy Grail from Vermont known as the Heady Topper. Oh, yes — also, it’s a massive craft beer festival on October 17 at Rhodes on the Pawtuxet in Cranston. Beervana is the […]
When it comes to nightlife entertainment, DJs are the main ingredient. One of the most influential DJs I have ever met is DJ Bruno from Boston. He’s been DJing in New England since 1987 and became known in the college scene in the late ’80s to early ’90s for mixing hip-hop, reggae, RnB, and house […]
In anticipation of RI Comic Con, we invited a zombie to the Motif offices to discuss film, food, and the zombie lifestyle. He arrived in chains, led by his handler. Our interview follows: Motif: Thank you for taking the time out of shambling to talk with me today. I notice you’re missing half your face. […]
Hey, you there, beer fan extraordinaire. We’ve got another reason to fill your empty glass: the Great International Beer Fest turns 21 on November 8. Like all milestone birthdays, this one marks a certain coming-of-age with a great party and, of course, plenty of beer. What to expect? Well, if you’ve attended in years […]
Her work as appeared at TerrorCon, The Rhode Show, Trinity Rep Theater, Hasbro’s DreamNight, RI Pride Festival, and even children’s birthday parties. From the prettiest of rainbow and animal face paintings to the most graphic and scary airbrushed monsters, Kara Andrews has spent the past several years fine-tuning her skills and working at various events […]
Aries: There is so much conversation going on between you and the folks in your life that you are finding it hard to keep track of it all. Mercury going retrograde on the 4th does not help matters. Review it all; things get clear after the 25th. The Solar Eclipse on the 23rd signals change in […]
Break out the fake blood, latex and makeup, and get ready to terrorize the streets of Providence for this year’s Zombie Night. The 21+ event kicks off at 7pm on Saturday, October 18 (don’t forget your IDs!). Finding a location to accommodate the ever-growing number of zombies each year has been a challenge. This year’s Zombie […]
This year’s home season in Providence Roller Derby has demonstrated that all three teams are motivated to fight to the bitter end. Fortunately for The Mob Squad, they remained undefeated against both the Sakonnet River Roller Rats and the Old Money Honeys, thereby clinching their seat in the 2014 Home Team Championship Game at the […]
In the upcoming election, Question 5 is an important issue for arts-aware voters to consider. The first of its kind in Rhode Island, if passed it would allocate $35 million in bond funding specifically for arts and culture facilities, as well as historic sites throughout the state. David Beauchesne, executive director of the Rhode Island […]
We’re kicking this month’s openings off with yet another spot on 800 Allens Ave. Formerly Cactus Grille, The Barstow, and Cafe Ole within an 8-month span, the spot now welcomes Brass Monkey, an American-fare, bar-centric, more casual eatery than its predecessors. Fourth time’s a charm. In other much anticipated PVD food news, Pizza J, Julians […]
