RAGE RELIEVER Smash ‘ N ’ Splash
Ever wanted to put a baseball bat through your TV ? Enter Smash ‘ N ’ Splash , the only place in the state where you can take a sledgehammer to your problems . Billed as Rhode Island ’ s first rage room , the West Warwick venue offers fifteen-minute sessions complete with safety gear , hype music and breakables galore . For a more artistic indulgence , opt for the splash room and use the neon paint blasters to paint a masterpiece ( and yourself ). But seriously , we know you came here to break stuff . 289 Cowesett Ave ., West Warwick , 744-1173 , smashnsplashri . com
LIVE MUSIC DANCE PARTIES Galactic Theatre
It ’ s a micro movie theater . No , it ’ s a live music venue . Oh wait , it ’ s a dance club . Actually it ’ s all three . Owner Dave “ Sasquatch ” Podsnap merges all of his favorite things into this neighborhood hangout while serving craft beers and creative cocktails . The crowd gets off their seats to tear up the dance floor ( tequila not necessary ) to live bands that span from bluegrass and indie to soft singer-songwriters and boisterous frontmen , plus there are occasional comedy nights for a much-needed break from reality . 440 Main St ., Warren , galactictheatre . com
LOCAL JAZZ NIGHT Courtland Club
Get sucked into saxophone riffs and bass jams on Sundays as Leland Baker and Friends take over Courtland Club . The former bakery-turned-social-club may not have a sign in sight , but let the music lead the way in the West End of Providence . Try the Zodiac cocktail of the month as well as drinks that highlight artisanal spirits , housemade syrups and garden-plucked herbs and fruit , plus a food menu worthy of dubbing it a farmto-table restaurant . 51 Courtland St ., Providence , 227-9300 , courtlandclub . com
ROCK AND ROLL ROADHOUSE Richmond Smoke
This summer , get cozy by the firepit and order from Outsider Cooking Company ’ s out-of-this-world grill menu or partake in lawn games and an Arturo Fuente , all set to a live soundtrack by talented local musicians — think : Black Knight ’ s Castle , PonyBoy , Tyler James Kelly , Jay Parker — from the al fresco stage . When the weather turns , the bar beckons with a roadhousemeets-speakeasy vibe , deep club chairs and more well-curated cover bands to heat up chilly nights . 1219 Main St ., Richmond , 539-2002 , richmondsmoke . com
NONTRADITIONAL ART Overlap
Artist Susie Matthews ’ usual medium of choice is ceramics . But she just molded a forty-year-old brick-and-mortar glass
PHOTOGRAPH : MEAGHAN SUSI .
SPECTACULAR SPIRITS
Rhode Island thrives on microbreweries , but distilling is a craft like no other . This year saw several moves in the state ’ s growing spirits industry , including a fresh tasting room for Rhode Island Spirits ( rhodeisland spirits . com ), now serving its Rhodiumbranded gin , vodka and liqueurs out of a souped-up former mill down the street from the new Pawtucket / Central Falls Transit Center . In Bristol , Adam and Natalie O ’ Brien set flight to their whiskey-distilling dreams at O ’ Brien and Brough ( obrienand brough . com ), where the signature rye is equally good in a classic old fashioned or the more adventurous French Canadian , featuring maple ice cream and cold brew from neighboring Borealis Coffee Company . Back in Pawtucket , White Dog Distilling ( whitedogdistilling . com ) owners Carlo and Alecia Catucci have set a new standard in their tasting room in the Lorraine Mills , where the handcrafted spirits ( and cocktails !) will make you rethink everything you thought you knew about moonshine . — L . C . AND KERRI TALLMAN
80 RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l AUGUST 2023