🔗 Share this article Rhythm and Blues Xmas Concert Recap: A Emotional Trip Back to the Nineties The yearly R&B Xmas Ball featured a lineup of performers renowned for their Christmas records. Instead of focusing on carols, the night acted as a sentimental reason for a voyage back to the earnest and emotional style of 1990s R&B. Starting Acts: Timeless Feelings The group Dru Hill delivered iconic R&B in coordinated attire, with music videos from the 2000s playing on screens behind them. Next, a performance of primarily ballads from Joe prepared the audience for the headlining artists. The Powerful Performance The opening of the song Last Last skillfully segued into He Wasn’t Man Enough, tying in Braxton's musical heritage. At first, her performance with a backing band seemed anchored in the time period of her greatest fame. Then, deep into her set, she opened up about her struggle with lupus and being told she might not perform on stage again. Performing Breathe Again in a single spotlight, she delivered a deeply emotional moment. “For as long as I live, I will never forget tonight,” she declared earnestly. Power chords then catapulted the crowd into Long As I Live, cementing her command over the audience's hearts. She finished with an impeccable, though somewhat shortened, rendition of her iconic hit, Un-break My Heart. The Group Boyz II Men: Harmony Masters Taking the stage in dazzlingly matching all-white suits, Boyz II Men began with Motownphilly. They performed classics like Water Runs Dry and On Bended Knee, showcasing awe-inspiring three-part vocals that were both precise and reactive to their accompaniment. Their performance featured covers of influences, such as a standout solo on Purple Rain, and tracks inspired by them, like Bruno Mars’s Locked Out of Heaven. A Touch of Holiday Spirit Towards the end, the concert embraced the holiday mood with renditions of Silent Night and Let It Snow. The show ended with a strong finale of hits including One Sweet Day, I’ll Make Love To You, and End of the Road. Overall Impressions While the night's production experienced some hiccups, and the feeling at times was of stars performing a tribute to their younger selves, the net result was transformative. The crowd was briefly transported to the golden age of R&B, going home sprinkled with sparkle rather than frost.