🔗 Share this article R&B Xmas Concert Recap: An Emotional Trip Back to the 90s This yearly R&B Xmas Ball featured a lineup of performers renowned for their Christmas records. Instead of focusing on seasonal songs, the night served as a nostalgic excuse for a trip back to the earnest and emotional sound of 1990s R&B. Opening Performances: Classic Feelings Dru Hill presented classic R&B in matching outfits, with videos from the 2000s playing behind them. Next, a performance of mostly slow jams from Joe prepared the audience for the main artists. The Powerful Performance The beginning of the song Last Last skillfully segued into He Wasn’t Man Enough, tying in Braxton's artistic legacy. At first, her show with a backing band appeared anchored in the era of her peak fame. Then, deep into her performance, she opened up about her battles with lupus and being told she might never sing live again. Singing Breathe Again in a solitary beam of light, she delivered a deeply heartfelt performance. “As long as I live, I will never forget tonight,” she stated earnestly. Power chords then catapulted the audience into Long As I Live, cementing her grip over the crowd's emotions. She finished with an impeccable, though slightly shortened, rendition of her iconic hit, Un-break My Heart. The Group Boyz II Men: Vocal Virtuosos Taking the stage in strikingly coordinated white suits, Boyz II Men opened with Motownphilly. They performed classics like Water Runs Dry and On Bended Knee, showcasing awe-inspiring three-part harmonies that were both tight and reactive to their accompaniment. Their set featured interpretations of influences, such as a memorable guitar piece on Purple Rain, and songs influenced by them, like Bruno Mars’s Locked Out of Heaven. A Dash of Holiday Spirit Towards the end, the concert embraced the Christmas theme with renditions of Silent Night and Let It Snow. The show concluded with a strong finale of anthems including One Sweet Day, I’ll Make Love To You, and End of the Road. Final Thoughts Although the night's technical execution experienced some hiccups, and the feeling at points was of stars paying homage to their younger selves, the overall effect was transformative. The audience was temporarily taken back to the golden age of R&B, going home sprinkled with sparkle rather than frost.