R&B Christmas Ball Review: An Heartfelt Journey Returning to the Nineties
This yearly R&B Xmas Ball featured a lineup of performers known for their holiday records. Instead of focusing on seasonal songs, the night served as a sentimental reason for a trip back to the sincere and heart-rending sound of 1990s R&B.
Starting Acts: Timeless Vibes
The group Dru Hill delivered classic R&B in coordinated attire, with music videos from the 2000s displaying on screens behind them. Following this, a performance of mostly ballads from Joe set the stage for the main artists.
Toni Braxton's Moving Set
The opening of the song Last Last skillfully transitioned into He Wasn’t Man Enough, connecting Braxton's musical legacy. At first, her performance with a live band seemed anchored in the era of her peak fame.
However, nine songs into her performance, she spoke about her battles with lupus and being told she might never sing on stage again. Performing Breathe Again in a solitary beam of light, she delivered a deeply emotional moment. “As long as I live, I will never forget tonight,” she stated earnestly.
Driving guitar chords then launched the crowd into Long As I Live, cementing her grip over the crowd's emotions. She encored with an flawless, though slightly abridged, rendition of her iconic hit, Un-break My Heart.
Boyz II Men: Harmony Masters
Appearing on stage in dazzlingly coordinated all-white outfits, Boyz II Men began with Motownphilly. They performed classics like Water Runs Dry and On Bended Knee, demonstrating awe-inspiring three-way vocals that were both precise and reactive to their accompaniment.
Their performance included interpretations of inspirations, including a standout solo on Purple Rain, and tracks influenced by them, like Bruno Mars’s Locked Out of Heaven.
A Touch of Christmas Spirit
Towards the end, the evening embraced the holiday theme with performances of Silent Night and Let It Snow. The performance concluded with a strong finale of anthems including One Sweet Day, I’ll Make Love To You, and End of the Road.
Overall Thoughts
Although the night's technical execution had some glitches, and the sense at times was of stars performing a tribute to their younger selves, the overall result was transformative. The audience was temporarily taken back to the peak era of R&B, going home sprinkled with glitter rather than frost.
