Rhythm and Blues Xmas Ball Review: A Heartfelt Journey Back to the Nineties

This second annual R&B Xmas Ball featured a lineup of artists known for their Christmas albums. Instead of focusing on seasonal songs, the evening served as a sentimental reason for a voyage back to the earnest and heart-rending sound of 90s R&B.

Starting Performances: Classic Feelings

The group Dru Hill presented classic R&B in coordinated attire, with videos from the 2000s displaying behind them. Next, a performance of mostly slow jams from the artist Joe set the stage for the main artists.

Toni Braxton's Powerful Performance

The beginning of Burna Boy’s Last Last cleverly segued into He Wasn’t Man Enough, connecting Braxton's artistic legacy. At first, her show with a backing band appeared rooted in the era of her greatest success.

However, nine songs into her performance, she opened up about her struggle with lupus and being told she might not perform on stage again. Performing Breathe Again in a solitary beam of light, she delivered a deeply heartfelt moment. “For as long as I live, I will never forget tonight,” she stated sincerely.

Driving guitar chords then launched the crowd into Long As I Live, solidifying her grip over the audience's emotions. She encored with an flawless, though somewhat abridged, rendition of her signature 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 performed hits like Water Runs Dry and On Bended Knee, demonstrating awe-inspiring three-way harmonies that were both precise and responsive to their accompaniment.

Their set included covers of inspirations, such as a standout solo on Purple Rain, and tracks inspired by them, like Bruno Mars’s Locked Out of Heaven.

A Touch of Christmas Spirit

Finally, the evening turned to the Christmas theme with performances of Silent Night and Let It Snow. The show concluded with a powerful closing run of anthems including One Sweet Day, I’ll Make Love To You, and End of the Road.

Overall Impressions

Although the evening's technical execution experienced some hiccups, and the feeling at times was of stars performing a tribute to their younger selves, the overall result was transportive. The crowd was temporarily taken back to the peak era of R&B, going home sprinkled with glitter rather than frost.