🔗 Share this article R&B Christmas Concert Recap: An Heartfelt Trip Returning to the 90s The second annual R&B Xmas Ball showcased a roster of performers known for their holiday records. Instead of focusing on carols, the night served as a sentimental reason for a trip back to the sincere and emotional sound of 1990s R&B. Opening Performances: Classic Feelings The group Dru Hill presented classic R&B in matching attire, with music videos from the 2000s displaying behind them. Following this, a performance of mostly ballads from Joe prepared the audience for the main acts. Toni Braxton's Moving Performance The beginning of the song Last Last skillfully segued into He Wasn’t Man Enough, connecting Braxton's musical heritage. Initially, her performance with a live band appeared rooted in the time period of her greatest success. Then, deep into her performance, she spoke about her struggle with lupus and being told she might not sing live again. Performing Breathe Again in a solitary beam of light, she gave a deeply heartfelt moment. “For as long as I live, I will never forget tonight,” she stated earnestly. Power chords then launched the crowd into Long As I Live, cementing her grip over the audience's hearts. She finished with an impeccable, though somewhat abridged, version of her signature hit, Un-break My Heart. The Group Boyz II Men: Harmony Masters Appearing on stage in dazzlingly matching all-white outfits, Boyz II Men opened with Motownphilly. They performed hits like Water Runs Dry and On Bended Knee, demonstrating awe-inspiring three-way harmonies that were both precise and reactive to their accompaniment. Their set featured interpretations of influences, such as a memorable solo on Purple Rain, and songs influenced by them, like Bruno Mars’s Locked Out of Heaven. A Touch of Holiday Cheer Towards the end, the concert turned to the Christmas theme with performances of Silent Night and Let It Snow. The show concluded with a powerful finale of anthems including One Sweet Day, I’ll Make Love To You, and End of the Road. Overall Impressions While the evening's production had some hiccups, and the sense at points was of artists performing a tribute to their younger selves, the overall effect was transportive. The audience was briefly taken back to the peak era of R&B, going home sprinkled with glitter rather than frost.