Rhythm and Blues Xmas Concert Review: An Emotional Journey Back to the 90s
The yearly R&B Xmas Ball featured a lineup of artists renowned for their Christmas albums. Rather than centering on seasonal songs, the night acted as a sentimental reason for a voyage back to the sincere and emotional style of 90s R&B.
Starting Performances: Timeless Vibes
The group Dru Hill delivered iconic R&B in coordinated attire, with videos from the 2000s era displaying behind them. Following this, a performance of primarily slow jams from the artist Joe prepared the audience for the main acts.
The Moving Performance
The beginning of the song Last Last cleverly segued into He Wasn’t Man Enough, tying in Braxton's artistic legacy. At first, her performance with a backing band appeared rooted in the era of her greatest success.
However, deep into her set, she opened up about her struggle with lupus and being told she might not perform on stage again. Performing Breathe Again in a solitary beam of light, she delivered a deeply emotional moment. “For as long as I live, I will never forget tonight,” she declared sincerely.
Driving guitar chords then catapulted the audience into Long As I Live, solidifying her command over the audience's hearts. She encored with an flawless, though somewhat abridged, version of her iconic hit, Un-break My Heart.
The Group Boyz II Men: Vocal Virtuosos
Appearing on stage in dazzlingly matching all-white suits, Boyz II Men began with Motownphilly. They moved through hits like Water Runs Dry and On Bended Knee, demonstrating breathtaking three-way harmonies that were both precise and reactive to their live band.
Their set 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 Touch of Christmas Spirit
Towards the end, the evening embraced the holiday theme with performances of Silent Night and Let It Snow. The performance concluded with a strong closing run of anthems including One Sweet Day, I’ll Make Love To You, and End of the Road.
Final Thoughts
While the evening's technical execution had some glitches, and the feeling at points was of artists performing a tribute to their past selves, the overall effect was transportive. The audience was briefly transported to the golden age of R&B, leaving dusted with sparkle rather than frost.
