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This yearly Rhythm and Blues Christmas Concert showcased a lineup of artists renowned for their holiday albums. Rather than centering on carols, the night served as a nostalgic excuse for a trip back to the sincere and emotional style of 1990s R&B.

Starting Performances: Timeless Feelings

The group Dru Hill delivered classic R&B in coordinated outfits, with music videos from the 2000s playing behind them. Following this, a performance of primarily slow jams from the artist Joe set the stage for the headlining artists.

The Powerful Set

The beginning of the song Last Last skillfully segued into He Wasn’t Man Enough, tying in Braxton's musical heritage. At first, her performance with a live band seemed rooted in the era of her peak fame.

Then, nine songs into her set, she opened up about her struggle with lupus and being told she might never perform on stage again. Singing Breathe Again in a single spotlight, she gave a deeply emotional performance. “As long as I live, I will never forget tonight,” she declared sincerely.

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

Boyz II Men: Vocal Virtuosos

Taking the stage in dazzlingly coordinated white outfits, Boyz II Men opened with Motownphilly. They performed classics like Water Runs Dry and On Bended Knee, showcasing awe-inspiring three-way harmonies that were both tight and responsive to their accompaniment.

Their set included interpretations of influences, such as a memorable solo on Purple Rain, and tracks inspired by them, like Bruno Mars’s Locked Out of Heaven.

A Touch of Christmas Spirit

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

Overall Impressions

Although the night's production had some hiccups, and the sense at times was of artists paying homage to their past selves, the overall result was transportive. The audience was temporarily taken back to the peak era of R&B, leaving sprinkled with sparkle rather than frost.