🔗 Share this article

The yearly Rhythm and Blues Christmas Concert showcased a lineup of performers renowned for their holiday records. Rather than centering on carols, the night acted as a sentimental reason for a voyage back to the earnest and heart-rending style of 90s R&B.

Opening Acts: Timeless Feelings

The group Dru Hill delivered classic R&B in coordinated outfits, with videos from the 2000s playing behind them. Following this, a performance of mostly slow jams from the artist Joe set the stage for the headlining artists.

The Moving Set

The opening of the song Last Last cleverly segued into He Wasn’t Man Enough, connecting Braxton's artistic heritage. Initially, her performance with a live band appeared anchored in the time period of her peak fame.

Then, nine songs into her set, she opened up about her battles with lupus and being told she might never perform live again. Singing Breathe Again in a single spotlight, she gave a deeply emotional performance. “As long as I live, I will never forget tonight,” she declared sincerely.

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

Boyz II Men: Vocal Virtuosos

Appearing on stage in strikingly coordinated all-white outfits, Boyz II Men opened with Motownphilly. They moved through hits like Water Runs Dry and On Bended Knee, demonstrating breathtaking three-way harmonies that were both tight and reactive to their live band.

Their performance included interpretations of influences, including a memorable solo on Purple Rain, and songs influenced by them, like Bruno Mars’s Locked Out of Heaven.

A Dash of Christmas Spirit

Towards the end, the concert embraced the Christmas theme with renditions of Silent Night and Let It Snow. The show concluded with a strong finale of hits including One Sweet Day, I’ll Make Love To You, and End of the Road.

Overall Impressions

Although the night's production had some glitches, and the sense at times was of artists paying homage to their younger selves, the overall result was transportive. The audience was briefly transported to the peak era of R&B, going home dusted with sparkle rather than frost.