Rhythm and Blues Xmas Concert Review: A Heartfelt Journey Returning to the 90s

This yearly Rhythm and Blues Christmas Concert showcased a lineup of performers known for their Christmas records. Rather than focusing 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 Performances: Classic Feelings

The group Dru Hill presented iconic 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 set the stage for the main acts.

Toni Braxton's Moving Performance

The beginning of the song Last Last skillfully segued into He Wasn’t Man Enough, tying in Braxton's artistic legacy. At first, her performance with a live band appeared anchored in the time period of her greatest fame.

Then, deep into her set, she spoke about her battles with lupus and being told she might not perform live again. Performing Breathe Again in a solitary beam of light, she gave a deeply heartfelt moment. “As long as I live, I will never forget tonight,” she declared sincerely.

Driving guitar chords then catapulted the audience into Long As I Live, cementing her command over the audience's emotions. She encored with an flawless, though slightly abridged, rendition of her iconic hit, Un-break My Heart.

Boyz II Men: Harmony Virtuosos

Appearing on stage in strikingly coordinated white suits, Boyz II Men opened with Motownphilly. They moved through classics like Water Runs Dry and On Bended Knee, demonstrating awe-inspiring three-way harmonies that were both precise and responsive to their live band.

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

A Touch of Holiday Spirit

Finally, the concert embraced the holiday theme with performances of Silent Night and Let It Snow. The show concluded 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 night's technical execution had some hiccups, and the sense at points was of artists paying homage to their past selves, the overall result was transportive. The audience was briefly transported to the peak era of R&B, leaving sprinkled with glitter rather than frost.