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The yearly R&B Xmas Ball featured a lineup of artists known for their holiday albums. Instead of centering on seasonal songs, the night served as a nostalgic excuse for a voyage back to the earnest and emotional style of 90s R&B.

Opening Performances: Timeless Feelings

Dru Hill presented iconic R&B in coordinated outfits, with music videos from the 2000s playing behind them. Next, a set of primarily slow jams from the artist Joe set the stage for the main acts.

Toni Braxton's Powerful Performance

The beginning of the song Last Last skillfully transitioned into He Wasn’t Man Enough, tying in Braxton's musical heritage. At first, her show with a backing band seemed rooted in the time period of her peak success.

However, nine songs into her set, she spoke about her battles 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 heartfelt performance. “For as long as I live, I will never forget tonight,” she stated earnestly.

Power chords then catapulted the crowd into Long As I Live, cementing her command over the audience's emotions. She finished with an impeccable, though somewhat shortened, version of her signature hit, Un-break My Heart.

The Group Boyz II Men: Harmony Masters

Taking the stage in strikingly matching 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 harmonies that were both precise and responsive to their live band.

Their set featured covers of inspirations, such as a memorable guitar piece on Purple Rain, and songs influenced by them, like Bruno Mars’s Locked Out of Heaven.

A Touch of Christmas Cheer

Finally, the concert embraced the holiday mood with renditions of Silent Night and Let It Snow. The performance concluded with a powerful finale of hits including One Sweet Day, I’ll Make Love To You, and End of the Road.

Final Thoughts

Although the night's production had some glitches, and the feeling at points was of artists performing a tribute to their past selves, the overall effect was transformative. The crowd was briefly taken back to the golden age of R&B, leaving sprinkled with sparkle rather than frost.