🔗 Share this article R&B Christmas Concert Recap: An Emotional Journey Back to the Nineties The yearly R&B Xmas Ball showcased a lineup of performers renowned for their Christmas albums. Rather than focusing on carols, the evening served as a sentimental excuse for a voyage back to the sincere and heart-rending style of 1990s R&B. Opening Performances: Classic Vibes The group Dru Hill presented iconic R&B in matching outfits, with music videos from the 2000s era displaying behind them. Following this, a set of mostly slow jams from Joe prepared the audience for the headlining artists. The Powerful Set The beginning of the song Last Last skillfully segued into He Wasn’t Man Enough, connecting Braxton's musical legacy. At first, her performance with a backing band seemed anchored in the time period of her peak fame. Then, nine songs into her performance, she opened up about her struggle with lupus and being told she might not sing live again. Performing Breathe Again in a solitary beam of light, she delivered a deeply emotional performance. “For as long as I live, I will never forget tonight,” she declared sincerely. Driving guitar chords then catapulted the crowd into Long As I Live, cementing her command over the crowd's hearts. She encored with an flawless, though slightly abridged, rendition of her signature hit, Un-break My Heart. Boyz II Men: Harmony Virtuosos Appearing on stage in strikingly matching white outfits, Boyz II Men opened with Motownphilly. They moved through hits like Water Runs Dry and On Bended Knee, showcasing awe-inspiring three-way vocals that were both precise and reactive to their live band. Their performance included covers of influences, such as a memorable guitar piece on Purple Rain, and songs inspired by them, like Bruno Mars’s Locked Out of Heaven. A Touch of Christmas Cheer Towards the end, the concert turned to the holiday mood with performances of Silent Night and Let It Snow. The performance 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 While the night's production experienced some glitches, and the sense at times was of stars paying homage to their younger selves, the overall result was transportive. The crowd was temporarily transported to the golden age of R&B, leaving dusted with glitter rather than snow.