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The yearly R&B Xmas Ball featured a lineup of performers renowned for their Christmas records. Instead of focusing on carols, the evening served as a sentimental excuse for a trip back to the sincere and emotional sound of 90s R&B.

Opening Performances: Classic Feelings

The group Dru Hill presented iconic R&B in coordinated attire, with music videos from the 2000s era playing on screens behind them. Next, a set of primarily slow jams from the artist Joe prepared the audience for the headlining artists.

Toni Braxton's Powerful Set

The beginning of Burna Boy’s Last Last cleverly segued into He Wasn’t Man Enough, connecting Braxton's artistic legacy. At first, her performance with a live band seemed anchored 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 on stage again. Performing Breathe Again in a solitary beam of light, she gave a deeply emotional performance. “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 audience's hearts. She encored with an impeccable, though slightly shortened, version of her iconic hit, Un-break My Heart.

Boyz II Men: Harmony Masters

Taking the stage in strikingly coordinated all-white suits, Boyz II Men began with Motownphilly. They moved through hits like Water Runs Dry and On Bended Knee, showcasing breathtaking three-part vocals that were both precise and reactive to their live band.

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

A Dash of Holiday Spirit

Finally, the concert turned to the Christmas mood with renditions 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 Impressions

While the evening's technical execution experienced some hiccups, and the feeling at points was of artists performing a tribute to their past selves, the overall result was transformative. The crowd was temporarily taken back to the golden age of R&B, going home sprinkled with glitter rather than snow.