Rhythm and Blues Christmas Ball Review: A Heartfelt Trip Returning to the Nineties

This yearly Rhythm and Blues Christmas Concert featured a roster of performers known for their holiday albums. Rather than focusing on carols, the evening acted as a sentimental reason for a voyage back to the sincere and heart-rending sound of 90s R&B.

Opening Performances: Timeless Feelings

Dru Hill presented iconic R&B in matching outfits, with music videos from the 2000s era displaying on screens behind them. Following this, a performance of primarily ballads from Joe prepared the audience for the headlining acts.

Toni Braxton's Moving Performance

The opening of the song Last Last cleverly segued into He Wasn’t Man Enough, connecting Braxton's artistic legacy. At first, her show with a live band seemed rooted in the era of her greatest fame.

However, deep into her set, she opened up about her struggle with lupus and being told she might never perform on stage again. Singing Breathe Again in a single spotlight, she gave a deeply emotional performance. “As long as I live, I will never forget tonight,” she declared earnestly.

Power chords then catapulted the crowd into Long As I Live, solidifying her command over the crowd's emotions. She finished with an flawless, though somewhat shortened, version of her signature hit, Un-break My Heart.

Boyz II Men: Harmony Virtuosos

Appearing on stage in dazzlingly coordinated white suits, Boyz II Men opened with Motownphilly. They moved through hits like Water Runs Dry and On Bended Knee, demonstrating awe-inspiring three-way vocals that were both tight and reactive to their accompaniment.

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

A Touch of Holiday Cheer

Finally, the concert embraced the holiday theme with performances of Silent Night and Let It Snow. The show concluded with a powerful finale of hits including One Sweet Day, I’ll Make Love To You, and End of the Road.

Overall Thoughts

Although the evening's technical execution had some hiccups, and the feeling at points was of stars performing a tribute 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 glitter rather than frost.