🔗 Share this article R&B Xmas Concert Recap: A Emotional Journey Returning to the Nineties This yearly Rhythm and Blues Christmas Concert showcased a roster of performers known for their Christmas albums. Instead of focusing on carols, the night served as a sentimental reason for a voyage back to the sincere and emotional style of 1990s R&B. Starting Performances: Timeless Feelings The group Dru Hill presented classic R&B in coordinated outfits, with videos from the 2000s displaying on screens behind them. Next, a performance of primarily ballads from Joe prepared the audience for the headlining artists. Toni Braxton's Powerful Set The opening of Burna Boy’s Last Last cleverly segued into He Wasn’t Man Enough, tying in Braxton's artistic heritage. At first, her show with a live band seemed rooted in the era of her peak success. Then, deep into her set, she opened up about her battles with lupus and being told she might not perform live again. Singing Breathe Again in a solitary beam of light, she delivered a profoundly emotional moment. “As long as I live, I will never forget tonight,” she declared sincerely. Driving guitar chords then launched the crowd into Long As I Live, cementing her command over the crowd's hearts. She encored with an impeccable, though somewhat shortened, rendition of her signature hit, Un-break My Heart. The Group Boyz II Men: Vocal Virtuosos Taking the stage in strikingly matching all-white suits, Boyz II Men began with Motownphilly. They moved through classics like Water Runs Dry and On Bended Knee, showcasing awe-inspiring three-way harmonies that were both precise and reactive to their live band. Their performance featured covers of inspirations, such as a memorable solo on Purple Rain, and tracks influenced by them, like Bruno Mars’s Locked Out of Heaven. A Touch of Christmas Cheer Finally, the concert embraced the holiday theme with renditions of Silent Night and Let It Snow. The performance ended with a powerful finale of hits including One Sweet Day, I’ll Make Love To You, and End of the Road. Overall Thoughts Although the night's production had some glitches, and the sense at points was of artists paying homage to their younger selves, the net result was transformative. The audience was briefly transported to the golden age of R&B, leaving sprinkled with sparkle rather than frost.