Rhythm and Blues Xmas Ball Recap: A Emotional Journey Returning to the Nineties
This yearly R&B Xmas Ball featured a lineup of performers renowned for their holiday records. Instead of centering on carols, the evening acted as a nostalgic reason for a voyage back to the earnest and heart-rending style of 1990s R&B.
Opening Performances: Timeless Feelings
The group Dru Hill delivered iconic R&B in matching outfits, with videos from the 2000s era displaying on screens behind them. Following this, a performance of mostly slow jams from Joe prepared the audience for the main acts.
Toni Braxton's Powerful Set
The opening of the song Last Last cleverly segued into He Wasn’t Man Enough, connecting Braxton's musical legacy. At first, her show with a backing band appeared anchored in the time period of her greatest success.
However, nine songs into her set, she spoke about her struggle with lupus and being told she might never perform on stage again. Performing 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 stated earnestly.
Power chords then launched the crowd into Long As I Live, solidifying her grip over the audience's hearts. She encored with an flawless, though somewhat abridged, version of her signature hit, Un-break My Heart.
Boyz II Men: Harmony Virtuosos
Taking the stage in strikingly coordinated white outfits, 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 tight and responsive to their accompaniment.
Their performance featured interpretations of inspirations, including a standout solo on Purple Rain, and tracks influenced by them, like Bruno Mars’s Locked Out of Heaven.
A Dash of Holiday Spirit
Towards the end, the concert turned to 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 Impressions
While the evening's production had some glitches, and the feeling at times was of artists performing a tribute to their past selves, the overall result was transformative. The crowd was temporarily transported to the peak era of R&B, leaving sprinkled with glitter rather than snow.
