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This yearly R&B Xmas Ball showcased a lineup of performers renowned for their holiday albums. Rather than centering on carols, the evening acted as a nostalgic reason for a voyage back to the earnest and heart-rending sound of 90s R&B.

Opening Performances: Classic Feelings

Dru Hill delivered classic R&B in coordinated outfits, with music videos from the 2000s playing on screens behind them. Following this, a set of primarily slow jams from the artist Joe prepared the audience for the main artists.

Toni Braxton's Powerful Performance

The opening of the song Last Last cleverly segued into He Wasn’t Man Enough, connecting Braxton's musical legacy. At first, her performance with a backing band seemed anchored in the era of her peak fame.

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

Power chords then launched the audience into Long As I Live, cementing her command over the crowd's emotions. She finished with an impeccable, though slightly abridged, rendition of her signature hit, Un-break My Heart.

The Group Boyz II Men: Vocal Masters

Taking the stage in strikingly matching all-white outfits, Boyz II Men began with Motownphilly. They moved through classics like Water Runs Dry and On Bended Knee, showcasing breathtaking three-way vocals that were both tight and reactive to their accompaniment.

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

A Touch of Christmas Cheer

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

Final Impressions

While the evening's technical execution experienced some hiccups, and the sense at points was of artists paying homage to their past selves, the overall result was transportive. The crowd was temporarily taken back to the peak era of R&B, leaving sprinkled with glitter rather than snow.