Rhythm and Blues Christmas Ball Recap: An Emotional Trip Back to the Nineties
The yearly Rhythm and Blues Christmas Concert featured a lineup of artists known for their Christmas albums. Rather than centering on seasonal songs, the evening acted as a nostalgic reason for a voyage back to the sincere and emotional style of 1990s R&B.
Starting Acts: Timeless Feelings
The group Dru Hill delivered classic R&B in coordinated outfits, with videos from the 2000s playing behind them. Following this, a performance of primarily slow jams from Joe prepared the audience for the headlining artists.
Toni Braxton's Moving Performance
The beginning of the song Last Last cleverly transitioned into He Wasn’t Man Enough, tying in Braxton's musical legacy. At first, her performance with a live band seemed anchored in the era of her peak success.
Then, nine songs into her set, she spoke about her battles with lupus and being told she might not sing on stage again. Singing Breathe Again in a solitary beam of light, she delivered a profoundly heartfelt moment. “As long as I live, I will never forget tonight,” she stated sincerely.
Power chords then catapulted the audience into Long As I Live, solidifying her command over the crowd's hearts. She encored with an impeccable, though somewhat abridged, rendition of her iconic hit, Un-break My Heart.
Boyz II Men: Harmony Masters
Taking the 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 breathtaking three-part vocals that were both precise and responsive to their live band.
Their performance featured covers of inspirations, including a memorable guitar piece on Purple Rain, and tracks inspired by them, like Bruno Mars’s Locked Out of Heaven.
A Touch of Christmas Spirit
Towards the end, the evening turned to the Christmas mood with performances of Silent Night and Let It Snow. The show concluded with a powerful finale of hits including One Sweet Day, I’ll Make Love To You, and End of the Road.
Final Thoughts
While the evening's production experienced some glitches, and the feeling at times was of stars paying homage to their younger selves, the net effect was transportive. The crowd was temporarily taken back to the peak era of R&B, going home sprinkled with sparkle rather than snow.
