🔗 Share this article Rhythm and Blues Christmas Ball Review: An Emotional Trip Returning to the Nineties The second annual Rhythm and Blues Christmas Concert showcased a roster of performers renowned for their Christmas records. Instead of focusing on carols, the night acted as a nostalgic excuse for a trip back to the sincere and emotional style of 1990s R&B. Opening Acts: Timeless Feelings Dru Hill presented iconic R&B in coordinated attire, with music videos from the 2000s era playing behind them. Following this, a set of primarily slow jams from the artist Joe set the stage 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 artistic heritage. Initially, her show with a backing band seemed rooted in the time period of her peak fame. However, nine songs into her set, she opened up about her battles with lupus and being told she might never sing live again. Singing Breathe Again in a solitary beam of light, she delivered a deeply emotional performance. “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, solidifying her command over the crowd's emotions. She finished with an impeccable, though somewhat abridged, rendition of her iconic hit, Un-break My Heart. The Group Boyz II Men: Harmony Masters Taking the stage in strikingly matching all-white outfits, Boyz II Men opened with Motownphilly. They performed classics 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 set featured interpretations of influences, such as a standout solo on Purple Rain, and tracks influenced by them, like Bruno Mars’s Locked Out of Heaven. A Touch of Holiday Spirit Towards the end, the evening turned to the holiday mood with performances of Silent Night and Let It Snow. The show ended 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 technical execution had some hiccups, and the feeling at times was of artists performing a tribute to their younger selves, the overall result was transformative. The audience was temporarily taken back to the golden age of R&B, going home sprinkled with sparkle rather than frost.