Rhythm and Blues Christmas Ball Review: An Emotional Trip Returning to the Nineties
The yearly Rhythm and Blues Christmas Concert showcased a lineup of performers renowned for their holiday albums. Rather than centering on seasonal songs, the evening served as a nostalgic reason for a voyage back to the earnest and emotional style of 1990s R&B.
Starting Acts: Timeless Feelings
Dru Hill presented classic R&B in matching attire, with music videos from the 2000s playing behind them. Following this, a set of mostly ballads from the artist Joe prepared the audience for the main acts.
Toni Braxton's Powerful Performance
The beginning of the song Last Last cleverly segued into He Wasn’t Man Enough, tying in Braxton's musical legacy. At first, her performance with a live band seemed rooted in the era of her peak fame.
However, deep into her set, she opened up about her battles with lupus and being told she might never sing on stage again. Singing Breathe Again in a solitary beam of light, she gave a deeply emotional performance. “For as long as I live, I will never forget tonight,” she declared sincerely.
Power chords then catapulted the audience into Long As I Live, solidifying her command over the audience's emotions. She finished with an impeccable, though slightly abridged, rendition of her iconic hit, Un-break My Heart.
The Group Boyz II Men: Harmony Virtuosos
Taking the stage in strikingly matching white suits, Boyz II Men opened with Motownphilly. They performed hits like Water Runs Dry and On Bended Knee, demonstrating awe-inspiring three-part harmonies that were both tight and responsive to their live band.
Their performance included interpretations of inspirations, including a memorable solo on Purple Rain, and tracks inspired by them, like Bruno Mars’s Locked Out of Heaven.
A Dash of Holiday Cheer
Towards the end, the concert embraced the holiday theme with performances of Silent Night and Let It Snow. The performance ended with a strong closing run of anthems including One Sweet Day, I’ll Make Love To You, and End of the Road.
Final Thoughts
While the evening's production had some hiccups, and the sense at points was of artists performing a tribute to their younger selves, the overall effect was transportive. The crowd was briefly transported to the peak era of R&B, leaving sprinkled with glitter rather than snow.
