R&B Xmas Ball Recap: An Heartfelt Trip Back to the 90s
The second annual R&B Xmas Ball featured a roster of artists renowned for their holiday records. Rather than focusing on seasonal songs, the evening served as a sentimental reason for a voyage back to the sincere and emotional style of 90s R&B.
Opening Acts: Classic Vibes
Dru Hill delivered iconic R&B in coordinated attire, with music videos from the 2000s era playing on screens behind them. Following this, a set of primarily ballads from Joe prepared the audience for the headlining acts.
Toni Braxton's Powerful Performance
The beginning of Burna Boy’s Last Last cleverly segued into He Wasn’t Man Enough, connecting Braxton's artistic legacy. At first, her performance with a live band seemed rooted in the time period of her greatest success.
Then, nine songs into her set, she opened up about her battles with lupus and being told she might not perform on stage again. Singing Breathe Again in a solitary beam of light, she delivered a deeply emotional performance. “As long as I live, I will never forget tonight,” she declared sincerely.
Driving guitar chords then launched the audience into Long As I Live, cementing her command over the audience's emotions. She finished with an flawless, though slightly 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 began with Motownphilly. They performed classics like Water Runs Dry and On Bended Knee, demonstrating breathtaking three-way harmonies that were both precise and reactive to their accompaniment.
Their performance included covers of influences, including a standout solo on Purple Rain, and tracks influenced by them, like Bruno Mars’s Locked Out of Heaven.
A Dash of Christmas Cheer
Towards the end, the concert turned to the Christmas mood with performances of Silent Night and Let It Snow. The show concluded with a powerful closing run of hits including One Sweet Day, I’ll Make Love To You, and End of the Road.
Overall Thoughts
While the night's technical execution experienced some glitches, and the sense at times was of artists performing a tribute to their younger selves, the net result was transformative. The audience was briefly taken back to the golden age of R&B, going home dusted with glitter rather than frost.
