🔗 Share this article Rhythm and Blues Xmas Concert Recap: A Heartfelt Trip Returning to the Nineties This second annual R&B Xmas Ball featured a roster of performers renowned for their Christmas albums. Rather than centering on seasonal songs, the evening served as a sentimental excuse for a trip back to the sincere and emotional sound of 90s R&B. Opening Performances: Timeless Feelings Dru Hill delivered iconic R&B in coordinated outfits, with videos from the 2000s playing on screens behind them. Next, a set of primarily ballads from Joe prepared the audience for the main acts. Toni Braxton's Moving 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 show with a live band seemed rooted in the time period of her greatest success. However, deep into her performance, she opened up about her struggle with lupus and being told she might not sing on stage again. Performing Breathe Again in a single spotlight, she gave a profoundly heartfelt moment. “For 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 crowd's hearts. She finished with an flawless, though somewhat abridged, rendition of her signature hit, Un-break My Heart. The Group Boyz II Men: Vocal Masters Appearing on stage in dazzlingly matching white outfits, Boyz II Men opened with Motownphilly. They moved through classics like Water Runs Dry and On Bended Knee, demonstrating awe-inspiring three-way vocals that were both precise and responsive to their live band. Their set included covers of inspirations, including a standout solo on Purple Rain, and tracks inspired by them, like Bruno Mars’s Locked Out of Heaven. A Touch of Christmas Spirit Towards the end, the evening embraced the Christmas theme with renditions of Silent Night and Let It Snow. The show ended with a strong closing run of hits including One Sweet Day, I’ll Make Love To You, and End of the Road. Final Thoughts While the night's technical execution experienced some hiccups, and the feeling at times was of artists paying homage to their younger selves, the net effect was transformative. The audience was temporarily taken back to the golden age of R&B, going home dusted with sparkle rather than frost.