🔗 Share this article

This second annual Rhythm and Blues Christmas Concert showcased a roster of performers renowned for their Christmas records. Rather than focusing on seasonal songs, the evening acted as a nostalgic excuse for a voyage back to the earnest and emotional style of 1990s R&B.

Starting Acts: Classic Feelings

The group Dru Hill presented iconic R&B in coordinated attire, with videos from the 2000s era playing behind them. Following this, a set of mostly slow jams from Joe set the stage for the main acts.

Toni Braxton's Moving Performance

The beginning of Burna Boy’s Last Last skillfully segued into He Wasn’t Man Enough, tying in Braxton's musical legacy. Initially, her performance with a live band appeared rooted in the time period of her peak fame.

However, nine songs into her set, she spoke about her struggle with lupus and being told she might never sing on stage again. Singing Breathe Again in a solitary beam of light, she delivered a profoundly emotional moment. “For as long as I live, I will never forget tonight,” she declared earnestly.

Driving guitar chords then catapulted the audience into Long As I Live, cementing her grip over the audience's emotions. She encored with an impeccable, though somewhat abridged, version of her iconic hit, Un-break My Heart.

The Group Boyz II Men: Harmony Virtuosos

Taking the stage in strikingly coordinated all-white suits, Boyz II Men opened with Motownphilly. They moved through classics like Water Runs Dry and On Bended Knee, demonstrating awe-inspiring three-part harmonies that were both precise and responsive to their accompaniment.

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

A Dash of Christmas Cheer

Finally, the concert embraced the Christmas mood with renditions of Silent Night and Let It Snow. The performance ended with a strong closing run of hits including One Sweet Day, I’ll Make Love To You, and End of the Road.

Overall Impressions

While the evening's technical execution had some hiccups, and the feeling at points was of stars paying homage to their past selves, the overall effect was transportive. The crowd was temporarily taken back to the peak era of R&B, leaving dusted with glitter rather than frost.