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The yearly Rhythm and Blues Christmas Concert featured a lineup of performers renowned for their Christmas albums. Rather than focusing on seasonal songs, the evening acted as a nostalgic excuse for a voyage back to the sincere and heart-rending sound of 90s R&B.

Opening Acts: Timeless Feelings

The group Dru Hill presented iconic R&B in coordinated attire, with videos from the 2000s era playing on screens behind them. Next, a set of primarily ballads from Joe set the stage for the headlining acts.

Toni Braxton's Moving Set

The beginning of the song Last Last cleverly segued into He Wasn’t Man Enough, tying in Braxton's artistic heritage. At first, her show with a live band seemed anchored in the time period of her greatest success.

Then, deep into her set, she spoke about her struggle with lupus and being told she might never perform on stage again. Singing Breathe Again in a solitary beam of light, she gave a deeply emotional performance. “For 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, solidifying her command over the crowd's emotions. She finished with an flawless, though slightly abridged, version of her signature hit, Un-break My Heart.

Boyz II Men: Harmony Virtuosos

Appearing on stage in dazzlingly matching white outfits, Boyz II Men opened with Motownphilly. They moved through classics like Water Runs Dry and On Bended Knee, showcasing breathtaking three-way harmonies that were both precise and responsive to their live band.

Their performance featured covers of inspirations, including a standout guitar piece on Purple Rain, and tracks inspired by them, like Bruno Mars’s Locked Out of Heaven.

A Touch of Christmas Cheer

Finally, the evening embraced the Christmas theme with renditions 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.

Overall Thoughts

While the night's technical execution had some glitches, and the feeling at times was of stars paying homage to their younger selves, the overall effect was transformative. The crowd was temporarily taken back to the golden age of R&B, going home sprinkled with sparkle rather than frost.