Rhythm and Blues Xmas Ball Recap: An Heartfelt Journey Returning to the Nineties
This yearly R&B Xmas Ball featured a lineup of artists known for their Christmas records. Instead of focusing on carols, the night acted as a sentimental excuse for a trip back to the earnest and emotional sound of 1990s R&B.
Opening Performances: Classic Vibes
The group Dru Hill delivered iconic R&B in matching outfits, with music videos from the 2000s displaying behind them. Next, a set of primarily ballads from Joe set the stage for the main acts.
Toni Braxton's Moving Performance
The opening of the song Last Last skillfully segued into He Wasn’t Man Enough, tying in Braxton's artistic heritage. At first, her show with a backing band seemed rooted in the time period of her greatest success.
Then, nine songs into her set, she spoke about her struggle with lupus and being told she might never perform on stage again. Singing Breathe Again in a single spotlight, she delivered a deeply emotional moment. “For as long as I live, I will never forget tonight,” she stated earnestly.
Driving guitar chords then catapulted the audience into Long As I Live, cementing her command over the audience's emotions. She encored with an impeccable, though somewhat shortened, version of her iconic hit, Un-break My Heart.
The Group Boyz II Men: Vocal Virtuosos
Taking the stage in strikingly coordinated all-white outfits, Boyz II Men opened with Motownphilly. They performed hits like Water Runs Dry and On Bended Knee, demonstrating breathtaking three-part vocals that were both tight and responsive to their live band.
Their set included covers 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 Christmas Spirit
Finally, the concert embraced the holiday theme with renditions of Silent Night and Let It Snow. The performance ended with a powerful closing run of hits including One Sweet Day, I’ll Make Love To You, and End of the Road.
Overall Impressions
While the evening's production experienced some hiccups, and the feeling at points was of artists performing a tribute to their younger selves, the net effect was transportive. The crowd was briefly transported to the golden age of R&B, going home sprinkled with glitter rather than frost.
