Rhythm and Blues Christmas Concert Recap: A Heartfelt Trip Returning to the Nineties

This yearly R&B Xmas Ball featured a roster of performers renowned for their Christmas albums. Rather than focusing on carols, the night acted as a sentimental excuse for a voyage back to the sincere and heart-rending style of 90s R&B.

Starting Acts: Classic Feelings

The group Dru Hill delivered classic R&B in coordinated outfits, with videos from the 2000s era playing behind them. Following this, a set of mostly ballads from Joe prepared the audience for the headlining acts.

Toni Braxton's Moving Set

The beginning of Burna Boy’s Last Last cleverly transitioned into He Wasn’t Man Enough, tying in Braxton's musical heritage. At first, her performance with a live band seemed anchored in the time period of her peak fame.

However, deep into her performance, she opened up about her struggle with lupus and being told she might not sing live again. Singing Breathe Again in a solitary beam of light, she delivered a deeply heartfelt performance. “For as long as I live, I will never forget tonight,” she declared sincerely.

Power chords then catapulted the audience into Long As I Live, cementing her grip over the audience's emotions. She finished with an impeccable, though slightly abridged, rendition of her iconic hit, Un-break My Heart.

Boyz II Men: Harmony Masters

Appearing on stage in dazzlingly matching white outfits, Boyz II Men began with Motownphilly. They performed classics like Water Runs Dry and On Bended Knee, demonstrating awe-inspiring three-part vocals that were both precise and reactive to their live band.

Their performance included covers of inspirations, including a memorable guitar piece on Purple Rain, and songs inspired by them, like Bruno Mars’s Locked Out of Heaven.

A Dash of Holiday Spirit

Towards the end, the concert embraced the holiday mood with renditions of Silent Night and Let It Snow. The show ended with a powerful finale of hits including One Sweet Day, I’ll Make Love To You, and End of the Road.

Final Thoughts

While the night's production experienced some glitches, and the sense at times was of artists paying homage to their younger selves, the overall result was transformative. The audience was temporarily transported to the golden age of R&B, going home sprinkled with sparkle rather than frost.