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The yearly Rhythm and Blues Christmas Concert featured a lineup of performers renowned for their holiday albums. Instead of centering on carols, the night served as a nostalgic reason for a trip back to the earnest and heart-rending style of 90s R&B.

Opening Acts: Timeless Feelings

Dru Hill delivered iconic R&B in matching outfits, with music videos from the 2000s displaying on screens behind them. Following this, a performance of mostly ballads from the artist Joe set the stage for the headlining acts.

Toni Braxton's Powerful Performance

The beginning of Burna Boy’s Last Last skillfully segued into He Wasn’t Man Enough, tying in Braxton's musical legacy. At first, her show with a live band seemed rooted in the era of her peak success.

Then, deep into her set, she spoke about her struggle with lupus and being told she might not perform live again. Singing Breathe Again in a solitary beam of light, she delivered a profoundly emotional moment. “As long as I live, I will never forget tonight,” she declared sincerely.

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

Boyz II Men: Harmony Masters

Appearing on stage in dazzlingly matching white outfits, Boyz II Men began with Motownphilly. They moved through 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 featured covers of influences, including a memorable solo on Purple Rain, and songs influenced by them, like Bruno Mars’s Locked Out of Heaven.

A Touch of Holiday Cheer

Towards the end, the evening embraced the Christmas theme with renditions of Silent Night and Let It Snow. The show ended with a powerful closing run of hits including One Sweet Day, I’ll Make Love To You, and End of the Road.

Final Thoughts

Although the evening's production experienced some hiccups, and the feeling at times was of artists performing a tribute to their younger selves, the net effect was transformative. The audience was temporarily transported to the peak era of R&B, going home dusted with glitter rather than frost.