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The yearly Rhythm and Blues Christmas Concert featured a roster of performers known for their Christmas albums. Instead of focusing on carols, the night acted as a nostalgic excuse for a trip back to the sincere and heart-rending style of 90s R&B.

Starting Acts: Timeless Vibes

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

Toni Braxton's Moving Set

The opening of the song Last Last skillfully transitioned into He Wasn’t Man Enough, tying in Braxton's artistic heritage. Initially, her performance with a live band seemed rooted in the era of her greatest fame.

However, deep into her performance, she spoke about her struggle with lupus and being told she might never sing live again. Performing Breathe Again in a solitary beam of light, she gave a deeply heartfelt moment. “For as long as I live, I will never forget tonight,” she stated earnestly.

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

Boyz II Men: Vocal Virtuosos

Appearing on stage in strikingly matching all-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 tight and responsive to their live band.

Their set included covers of inspirations, including a standout solo on Purple Rain, and tracks inspired by them, like Bruno Mars’s Locked Out of Heaven.

A Dash of Holiday Cheer

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

Final Impressions

While the night's production had some glitches, and the feeling at times was of artists performing a tribute to their past selves, the overall result was transformative. The crowd was temporarily taken back to the peak era of R&B, going home dusted with glitter rather than frost.