R&B Christmas Concert Review: An Emotional Journey Returning to the Nineties
The yearly R&B Xmas Ball featured a lineup of performers renowned for their holiday albums. Instead of centering on seasonal songs, the night served as a sentimental reason for a voyage back to the earnest and emotional sound of 90s R&B.
Starting Acts: Timeless Vibes
Dru Hill delivered iconic R&B in coordinated outfits, with videos from the 2000s displaying behind them. Following this, a set of primarily ballads from Joe set the stage for the headlining acts.
Toni Braxton's Moving Performance
The opening of Burna Boy’s Last Last cleverly segued into He Wasn’t Man Enough, connecting Braxton's musical heritage. At first, her performance with a live band seemed rooted in the time period of her greatest success.
However, nine songs into her set, she spoke about her battles with lupus and being told she might not sing on stage again. Performing Breathe Again in a solitary beam of light, she gave a profoundly heartfelt performance. “For as long as I live, I will never forget tonight,” she stated sincerely.
Power chords then launched the audience into Long As I Live, cementing her command over the crowd's emotions. She encored with an impeccable, though somewhat shortened, version of her iconic hit, Un-break My Heart.
Boyz II Men: Harmony Virtuosos
Taking the stage in dazzlingly coordinated all-white suits, Boyz II Men began with Motownphilly. They performed hits like Water Runs Dry and On Bended Knee, demonstrating awe-inspiring three-part vocals that were both tight and responsive to their live band.
Their performance included covers of inspirations, such as a standout solo on Purple Rain, and songs inspired by them, like Bruno Mars’s Locked Out of Heaven.
A Touch of Holiday Spirit
Towards the end, the evening embraced the Christmas theme with renditions of Silent Night and Let It Snow. The performance ended with a powerful 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 technical execution had some glitches, and the sense at times was of artists performing a tribute to their younger selves, the overall result was transformative. The audience was briefly transported to the golden age of R&B, leaving sprinkled with glitter rather than snow.
