Solstice Showcase: A Melting Pot Of Community Through Music
Written by Ramray Wong | July 10, 2026
Photos by Ramray Wong
Community, a lively atmosphere, inclusivity, and support for those from all walks of musical and verbal art are signs of a well-cultivated open mic. These traits keenly apply to Solstice Showcase, an open mic hosted by The Drop and The 5 Club at Opening Bell Coffee in the Cedars District of Dallas, Texas on the last Friday night of June. It was the kind of open mic where any performer could’ve been someone’s favorite with how diverse the crowd was.
The night began with an artist who broke the ice with an impressive acapella performance using only claps and body percussion as his accompaniment. The crowd fell silent at first, but as he established the groove, the crowd couldn’t help but to clap along, bookending the set with well-deserved applause. This was followed by the next person performing slam poetry that drew snaps and cheers with his political lamentations. To pay his respects performing amongst musicians, he sang “The Way You Make Me Feel” by Michael Jackson after the poem. The crowd, rich in musical talent, couldn’t help but to sing along and harmonize with him. Many of the new audience members gasped in amazement. It was like sitting amongst a choir with how they blended with many of the artists that night with call-and-response and harmony.
Among the headliners was Rylin Rivas who charmed the audience with his tender vocals. His cover of Keyshia Cole’s “Love” simultaneously drew in the most cheers and the most captivated silence from the crowd. The next headliner was the band Waiting on Josh who turned the open mic into a party with their energetic rock covers of classics such as “Blitzkrieg Bop” and the wedding reception anthem “Mr. Brightside” that drew the crowd on their feet singing along in jubilation. The energy only grew when Kit, the next headliner, took the stage, honoring her Filipino heritage with her cover of Bruno Mars’ “Locked Out of Heaven” and “Kahit Maputi Na Ang Buhok Mo” by Rey Valera. By this point, audience members were at their feet on either side of the seating area cheering on Kit. It was hard to believe this was the same quiet crowd at the beginning of the night. The final headliner, Jayne Rio, closed things out with her own personal renditions of popular songs with Tagalog lyrics woven in.
Photos by Ramray Wong
The headliners were far from the only highlight of the evening. What stood out most about the other performers was how supportive the crowd was, no matter how refined the act was. The charm and appeal of getting to see what talents emerge from members of your community. There were multiple counts of a performer starting off nervous, receiving a reassuring cheer from the crowd, and becoming noticeably more confident for the rest of their set. This was an event where sincerity and passion were far more important than perfection.
These are values notably upheld by The 5 Club, a group of community organizers established by Filpina American artist Veronica Pamindanan. In their own words, “In Filipino culture, meals are more than nourishment, they are moments of celebration, storytelling, and connection. That tradition of gathering and sharing became the foundation for the vision behind The 5 Club.” One could say food and music are both considered universal languages, one could think of the Solstice Showcase as more of a potluck where anyone from the audience could bring their own brand of talents to the stage for everyone to share.
Photos by Ramray Wong
