Rhythm and Blues Xmas Concert Review: A Heartfelt Trip Back to the Nineties
The second annual R&B Xmas Ball featured a roster of performers known for their holiday records. Instead of focusing on carols, the night acted as a nostalgic reason for a voyage back to the sincere and emotional style of 1990s R&B.
Opening Acts: Classic Vibes
The group Dru Hill presented classic R&B in coordinated attire, with videos from the 2000s era displaying behind them. Next, a performance of primarily slow jams from Joe set the stage for the main artists.
Toni Braxton's Moving Performance
The beginning of the song Last Last skillfully transitioned into He Wasn’t Man Enough, connecting Braxton's artistic legacy. At first, her show with a live band appeared rooted in the time period of her peak fame.
However, nine songs into her performance, she spoke about her battles with lupus and being told she might never sing on stage again. Performing Breathe Again in a solitary beam of light, she delivered a profoundly emotional performance. “For as long as I live, I will never forget tonight,” she stated earnestly.
Power chords then catapulted the crowd into Long As I Live, solidifying her command over the audience's hearts. She encored with an flawless, though somewhat shortened, version of her signature hit, Un-break My Heart.
The Group Boyz II Men: Harmony Masters
Taking the stage in dazzlingly matching all-white suits, Boyz II Men opened with Motownphilly. They performed hits like Water Runs Dry and On Bended Knee, demonstrating awe-inspiring three-way harmonies that were both precise and responsive to their accompaniment.
Their set included covers of inspirations, such as a standout solo on Purple Rain, and songs inspired by them, like Bruno Mars’s Locked Out of Heaven.
A Dash of Holiday Spirit
Towards the end, the concert embraced the Christmas mood with renditions of Silent Night and Let It Snow. The performance concluded with a powerful closing run of anthems including One Sweet Day, I’ll Make Love To You, and End of the Road.
Final Impressions
Although the evening's production had some hiccups, and the feeling at points was of artists performing a tribute to their past selves, the overall result was transformative. The audience was briefly transported to the golden age of R&B, leaving dusted with sparkle rather than snow.
