Rhythm and Blues Xmas Ball Recap: An Heartfelt Trip Back to the 90s
This yearly Rhythm and Blues Christmas Concert featured a lineup of performers renowned for their holiday records. Rather than centering on carols, the evening served as a sentimental excuse for a trip back to the sincere and emotional style of 1990s R&B.
Opening Performances: Timeless Feelings
Dru Hill delivered classic R&B in matching attire, with music videos from the 2000s era displaying on screens behind them. Following this, a set of primarily slow jams from Joe set the stage for the headlining artists.
Toni Braxton's Moving Performance
The beginning of the song Last Last skillfully transitioned into He Wasn’t Man Enough, tying in Braxton's musical legacy. At first, her performance with a backing band appeared anchored in the era of her greatest success.
Then, deep into her performance, she opened up about her struggle with lupus and being told she might never perform live again. Singing Breathe Again in a single spotlight, she delivered a deeply heartfelt moment. “As long as I live, I will never forget tonight,” she declared sincerely.
Power chords then catapulted the audience into Long As I Live, cementing her grip over the audience's emotions. She finished with an flawless, though slightly abridged, rendition of her signature hit, Un-break My Heart.
The Group Boyz II Men: Vocal Masters
Taking the stage in dazzlingly coordinated white suits, Boyz II Men opened with Motownphilly. They moved through classics like Water Runs Dry and On Bended Knee, demonstrating awe-inspiring three-part harmonies that were both tight and responsive to their live band.
Their set featured covers of inspirations, including a memorable solo on Purple Rain, and songs influenced by them, like Bruno Mars’s Locked Out of Heaven.
A Touch of Christmas Cheer
Towards the end, the concert embraced the Christmas theme with renditions of Silent Night and Let It Snow. The show concluded with a strong closing run of anthems including One Sweet Day, I’ll Make Love To You, and End of the Road.
Overall Thoughts
Although the evening's production had some hiccups, and the feeling at times 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 sprinkled with glitter rather than frost.
