🔗 Share this article

The yearly R&B Xmas Ball showcased a lineup of artists known for their Christmas records. Instead of centering on seasonal songs, the night served as a sentimental excuse for a voyage back to the earnest and heart-rending style of 1990s R&B.

Opening Acts: Timeless Feelings

The group Dru Hill delivered classic R&B in coordinated outfits, with videos from the 2000s era playing on screens behind them. Following this, a set of primarily slow jams from the artist Joe prepared the audience for the main artists.

Toni Braxton's Powerful Set

The opening of the song Last Last cleverly segued into He Wasn’t Man Enough, connecting Braxton's musical legacy. At first, her performance with a live band appeared rooted in the time period of her peak fame.

However, nine songs into her set, she opened up about her struggle with lupus and being told she might never sing live again. Performing Breathe Again in a solitary beam of light, she delivered a profoundly heartfelt performance. “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, solidifying her command over the crowd's emotions. She encored with an impeccable, though somewhat abridged, version of her iconic hit, Un-break My Heart.

Boyz II Men: Harmony Virtuosos

Taking the stage in strikingly matching white suits, Boyz II Men began with Motownphilly. They moved through hits like Water Runs Dry and On Bended Knee, demonstrating awe-inspiring three-way vocals that were both tight and reactive to their accompaniment.

Their performance featured covers of influences, such as a memorable guitar piece on Purple Rain, and tracks influenced by them, like Bruno Mars’s Locked Out of Heaven.

A Dash of Holiday Spirit

Finally, the evening embraced the Christmas theme 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 Thoughts

Although the evening's technical execution experienced some glitches, and the feeling at points was of artists paying homage to their past selves, the net effect was transformative. The audience was briefly taken back to the golden age of R&B, leaving sprinkled with sparkle rather than snow.