Rhythm and Blues Christmas Ball Review: An Emotional Trip Returning to the Nineties

The second annual Rhythm and Blues Christmas Concert featured a lineup of performers renowned for their Christmas albums. Instead of focusing on carols, the evening acted as a nostalgic excuse for a voyage back to the sincere and emotional sound of 90s R&B.

Starting Performances: Classic Feelings

The group Dru Hill delivered classic R&B in coordinated attire, with music videos from the 2000s playing on screens behind them. Following this, a set of mostly ballads from Joe set the stage for the headlining acts.

Toni Braxton's Powerful Performance

The opening of Burna Boy’s Last Last skillfully transitioned into He Wasn’t Man Enough, tying in Braxton's artistic heritage. At first, her performance with a live band seemed rooted in the era of her greatest fame.

However, nine songs into her set, she opened up about her struggle with lupus and being told she might never sing on stage again. Performing Breathe Again in a solitary beam of light, she gave a deeply heartfelt moment. “As long as I live, I will never forget tonight,” she stated earnestly.

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

Boyz II Men: Harmony Virtuosos

Taking the stage in strikingly matching white suits, Boyz II Men began with Motownphilly. They performed hits like Water Runs Dry and On Bended Knee, demonstrating awe-inspiring three-part vocals that were both tight and reactive to their live band.

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

A Touch of Christmas Cheer

Finally, the evening turned to the holiday theme with renditions of Silent Night and Let It Snow. The show ended with a powerful closing run of hits including One Sweet Day, I’ll Make Love To You, and End of the Road.

Final Thoughts

Although the night's production had some hiccups, and the feeling at points was of stars paying homage to their younger selves, the net result was transportive. The crowd was briefly taken back to the peak era of R&B, going home dusted with sparkle rather than frost.