R&B Christmas Ball Recap: An Heartfelt Trip Back to the Nineties

The second annual Rhythm and Blues Christmas Concert featured a lineup of artists renowned for their holiday albums. Rather than focusing on seasonal songs, the evening served as a nostalgic excuse for a trip back to the earnest and heart-rending sound of 90s R&B.

Opening Performances: Timeless Vibes

Dru Hill delivered iconic R&B in coordinated outfits, with music videos from the 2000s era playing on screens behind them. Next, a set of mostly slow jams from the artist Joe prepared the audience for the main artists.

The Powerful Performance

The opening of the song Last Last cleverly segued into He Wasn’t Man Enough, tying in Braxton's artistic heritage. Initially, her performance with a live band seemed rooted in the era of her peak fame.

However, deep into her set, she spoke about her battles with lupus and being told she might not perform on stage again. Singing Breathe Again in a solitary beam of light, she gave a profoundly heartfelt performance. “For as long as I live, I will never forget tonight,” she declared earnestly.

Driving guitar chords then catapulted the audience into Long As I Live, cementing her grip over the audience's emotions. She finished with an impeccable, though somewhat shortened, version of her iconic hit, Un-break My Heart.

The Group Boyz II Men: Vocal Virtuosos

Taking the stage in strikingly coordinated white suits, Boyz II Men opened with Motownphilly. They performed classics like Water Runs Dry and On Bended Knee, showcasing breathtaking three-part harmonies that were both tight and reactive to their accompaniment.

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

A Dash of Christmas Cheer

Towards the end, the evening embraced the Christmas theme with renditions of Silent Night and Let It Snow. The performance concluded with a powerful finale of anthems including One Sweet Day, I’ll Make Love To You, and End of the Road.

Final Impressions

While the evening's technical execution had some hiccups, and the feeling at points was of artists paying homage to their past selves, the overall result was transformative. The crowd was briefly taken back to the peak era of R&B, going home sprinkled with glitter rather than snow.