Rhythm and Blues Christmas Concert Recap: A Emotional Trip Back to the Nineties
The yearly R&B Xmas Ball featured a roster of performers known for their holiday records. Instead of focusing on carols, the evening served as a nostalgic excuse for a trip back to the sincere and heart-rending style of 90s R&B.
Starting Acts: Classic Feelings
Dru Hill presented classic R&B in matching outfits, with music videos from the 2000s era displaying on screens behind them. Next, a performance of primarily slow jams from Joe prepared the audience for the headlining artists.
Toni Braxton's Moving Set
The beginning of the song Last Last skillfully segued into He Wasn’t Man Enough, connecting Braxton's musical legacy. At first, her show with a backing band seemed anchored in the era of her greatest success.
However, nine songs into her set, she opened up about her struggle with lupus and being told she might never sing on stage again. Singing Breathe Again in a single spotlight, she gave a deeply emotional performance. “As long as I live, I will never forget tonight,” she declared 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 slightly shortened, rendition of her signature hit, Un-break My Heart.
Boyz II Men: Vocal Masters
Appearing on stage in strikingly coordinated all-white outfits, Boyz II Men opened with Motownphilly. They performed hits like Water Runs Dry and On Bended Knee, showcasing breathtaking three-part vocals that were both precise and reactive to their live band.
Their set included interpretations of inspirations, including a memorable solo on Purple Rain, and songs inspired by them, like Bruno Mars’s Locked Out of Heaven.
A Dash of Christmas Spirit
Finally, the concert embraced the Christmas theme with renditions of Silent Night and Let It Snow. The show concluded with a powerful closing run of anthems including One Sweet Day, I’ll Make Love To You, and End of the Road.
Final Thoughts
Although the night's technical execution 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 temporarily taken back to the peak era of R&B, going home dusted with glitter rather than snow.
