R&B Christmas Ball Review: An Emotional Journey Back to the Nineties
This yearly Rhythm and Blues Christmas Concert featured a lineup of performers renowned for their holiday records. Rather than centering on seasonal songs, the night acted as a nostalgic excuse for a trip back to the sincere and heart-rending sound of 90s R&B.
Starting Acts: Classic Vibes
The group Dru Hill presented iconic R&B in coordinated outfits, with videos from the 2000s playing on screens behind them. Following this, a performance of mostly slow jams from Joe prepared the audience for the headlining acts.
Toni Braxton's Moving Performance
The opening of the song Last Last cleverly segued into He Wasn’t Man Enough, tying in Braxton's artistic heritage. Initially, her show with a live band seemed rooted in the era of her peak success.
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 gave a profoundly emotional performance. “As long as I live, I will never forget tonight,” she stated earnestly.
Driving guitar chords then launched the audience into Long As I Live, cementing her grip over the crowd's emotions. She finished with an flawless, though somewhat abridged, version of her signature hit, Un-break My Heart.
Boyz II Men: Vocal Virtuosos
Appearing on stage in dazzlingly matching white outfits, Boyz II Men began with Motownphilly. They performed hits like Water Runs Dry and On Bended Knee, demonstrating breathtaking three-way vocals that were both precise and responsive to their accompaniment.
Their set featured interpretations of inspirations, including a memorable solo on Purple Rain, and tracks inspired by them, like Bruno Mars’s Locked Out of Heaven.
A Touch of Christmas Cheer
Towards the end, the evening embraced the Christmas theme with performances of Silent Night and Let It Snow. The performance ended with a strong closing run of anthems including One Sweet Day, I’ll Make Love To You, and End of the Road.
Overall Thoughts
While the night's production had some hiccups, and the feeling at points was of stars paying homage to their past selves, the net result was transportive. The crowd was briefly taken back to the peak era of R&B, going home sprinkled with glitter rather than frost.
