🔗 Share this article

This yearly Rhythm and Blues Christmas Concert showcased a lineup of performers renowned for their holiday albums. Rather than centering on carols, the evening acted as a nostalgic excuse for a trip back to the sincere and heart-rending sound of 1990s R&B.

Opening Performances: Timeless Feelings

The group Dru Hill presented classic R&B in coordinated outfits, with music videos from the 2000s era displaying on screens behind them. Following this, a performance of primarily ballads from the artist Joe prepared the audience for the headlining acts.

The Moving Performance

The beginning of Burna Boy’s Last Last skillfully transitioned into He Wasn’t Man Enough, tying in Braxton's musical heritage. At first, her performance with a live band appeared rooted in the time period of her peak success.

However, deep into her set, she opened up about her struggle with lupus and being told she might not sing on stage again. Singing Breathe Again in a solitary beam of light, she gave a deeply heartfelt moment. “As long as I live, I will never forget tonight,” she declared earnestly.

Power chords then launched the audience into Long As I Live, solidifying her grip over the audience's emotions. She finished with an impeccable, though somewhat abridged, version of her iconic hit, Un-break My Heart.

The Group Boyz II Men: Harmony Masters

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

Their set featured 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 Dash of Christmas Spirit

Towards the end, the concert turned to the holiday theme with renditions of Silent Night and Let It Snow. The show ended with a powerful closing run of anthems including One Sweet Day, I’ll Make Love To You, and End of the Road.

Overall Impressions

Although the night's technical execution experienced some hiccups, and the feeling at times was of artists paying homage to their past selves, the overall effect was transportive. The crowd was temporarily transported to the peak era of R&B, leaving dusted with glitter rather than frost.