🔗 Share this article

This second annual Rhythm and Blues Christmas Concert featured a lineup of performers renowned for their holiday albums. Rather than centering on carols, the evening acted as a sentimental excuse for a voyage back to the sincere and heart-rending sound of 1990s R&B.

Starting Performances: Timeless Vibes

The group Dru Hill delivered iconic R&B in coordinated attire, with videos from the 2000s era playing on screens behind them. Next, a set of mostly ballads from the artist Joe prepared the audience for the main acts.

Toni Braxton's Powerful Set

The beginning of Burna Boy’s Last Last cleverly segued into He Wasn’t Man Enough, connecting Braxton's musical heritage. Initially, her show with a live band appeared rooted in the era of her peak success.

However, nine songs into her set, she spoke about her struggle with lupus and being told she might never perform live again. Performing Breathe Again in a solitary beam of light, she gave a deeply emotional moment. “As long as I live, I will never forget tonight,” she declared sincerely.

Driving guitar chords then launched the audience into Long As I Live, cementing her command over the audience's emotions. She finished with an impeccable, though slightly shortened, rendition of her signature hit, Un-break My Heart.

The Group Boyz II Men: Harmony Virtuosos

Appearing on stage in strikingly matching all-white outfits, Boyz II Men opened with Motownphilly. They moved through hits like Water Runs Dry and On Bended Knee, showcasing awe-inspiring three-way vocals that were both precise and reactive to their accompaniment.

Their set included interpretations of influences, such as a standout solo on Purple Rain, and tracks inspired by them, like Bruno Mars’s Locked Out of Heaven.

A Touch of Holiday Cheer

Towards the end, the concert turned to the Christmas theme with renditions of Silent Night and Let It Snow. The performance concluded with a powerful closing run of hits including One Sweet Day, I’ll Make Love To You, and End of the Road.

Overall Thoughts

While the evening's production had some glitches, and the sense at points was of stars performing a tribute to their younger selves, the net result was transformative. The audience was briefly taken back to the peak era of R&B, going home sprinkled with glitter rather than frost.