Rhythm and Blues Christmas Concert Recap: A Emotional Journey Returning to the Nineties

This yearly Rhythm and Blues Christmas Concert showcased a lineup of artists renowned for their holiday records. Rather than centering on carols, the evening served as a sentimental reason for a voyage back to the earnest and heart-rending style of 90s R&B.

Opening Performances: Timeless Vibes

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

Toni Braxton's Powerful Performance

The opening of the song Last Last skillfully transitioned into He Wasn’t Man Enough, connecting Braxton's artistic heritage. At first, her show with a live band appeared rooted in the time period of her peak fame.

However, deep into her performance, she spoke about her battles with lupus and being told she might not perform live again. Performing Breathe Again in a solitary beam of light, she gave a deeply emotional performance. “For as long as I live, I will never forget tonight,” she declared sincerely.

Driving guitar chords then catapulted the crowd into Long As I Live, solidifying her command over the crowd's emotions. She finished with an impeccable, though somewhat shortened, version of her iconic hit, Un-break My Heart.

Boyz II Men: Vocal Masters

Appearing on stage in strikingly matching all-white suits, Boyz II Men began with Motownphilly. They moved through classics like Water Runs Dry and On Bended Knee, demonstrating awe-inspiring three-part harmonies that were both precise and reactive to their accompaniment.

Their performance featured interpretations of inspirations, 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 evening embraced the holiday mood with renditions 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 production had 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 golden age of R&B, leaving sprinkled with sparkle rather than frost.