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This yearly Rhythm and Blues Christmas Concert featured a lineup of artists renowned for their Christmas albums. Instead of focusing on seasonal songs, the night served as a sentimental reason for a trip back to the earnest and heart-rending style of 90s R&B.

Starting Acts: Classic Feelings

The group Dru Hill delivered classic R&B in matching attire, with music videos from the 2000s playing behind them. Next, a performance of primarily ballads from the artist Joe prepared the audience for the main artists.

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. Initially, her show with a live band appeared rooted in the time period of her peak success.

However, deep into her performance, she opened up about her struggle with lupus and being told she might not perform live again. Singing Breathe Again in a single spotlight, she delivered a deeply heartfelt moment. “As long as I live, I will never forget tonight,” she stated earnestly.

Driving guitar chords then launched the audience into Long As I Live, cementing her grip over the crowd's hearts. She encored with an flawless, though slightly shortened, version of her iconic hit, Un-break My Heart.

The Group Boyz II Men: Vocal Masters

Appearing on stage in dazzlingly matching white outfits, Boyz II Men began with Motownphilly. They performed classics like Water Runs Dry and On Bended Knee, demonstrating breathtaking three-way harmonies that were both precise and reactive to their accompaniment.

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

A Touch of Christmas Cheer

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

Overall Impressions

While the evening's production had some hiccups, and the feeling at times was of artists performing a tribute to their younger selves, the overall result was transportive. The crowd was briefly taken back to the golden age of R&B, going home sprinkled with sparkle rather than snow.