🔗 Share this article

This second annual R&B Xmas Ball featured a lineup of performers renowned for their Christmas albums. Rather than focusing on carols, the evening served as a sentimental excuse for a voyage back to the sincere and heart-rending style of 1990s R&B.

Starting Acts: Timeless Vibes

The group Dru Hill presented classic R&B in coordinated attire, with videos from the 2000s era displaying on screens behind them. Following this, a set of primarily slow jams from the artist Joe prepared the audience for the headlining acts.

Toni Braxton's Moving Performance

The opening of the song Last Last skillfully segued into He Wasn’t Man Enough, tying in Braxton's artistic heritage. Initially, her show with a backing band appeared rooted in the time period of her greatest fame.

However, deep into her set, she spoke about her battles with lupus and being told she might never perform live again. Singing Breathe Again in a solitary beam of light, she gave a deeply heartfelt performance. “As long as I live, I will never forget tonight,” she declared earnestly.

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

The Group Boyz II Men: Harmony Virtuosos

Taking the stage in dazzlingly matching white outfits, Boyz II Men opened with Motownphilly. They moved through hits like Water Runs Dry and On Bended Knee, showcasing breathtaking three-part harmonies that were both tight and reactive to their accompaniment.

Their set featured interpretations of inspirations, such as a memorable guitar piece on Purple Rain, and tracks influenced by them, like Bruno Mars’s Locked Out of Heaven.

A Dash of Holiday Spirit

Towards the end, the concert turned to the holiday theme with performances of Silent Night and Let It Snow. The performance ended with a strong closing run of hits including One Sweet Day, I’ll Make Love To You, and End of the Road.

Overall Thoughts

Although the evening's production had some glitches, and the sense at points was of artists paying homage to their younger selves, the overall result was transportive. The audience was briefly transported to the peak era of R&B, going home sprinkled with sparkle rather than snow.