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The yearly Rhythm and Blues Christmas Concert featured a lineup of performers renowned for their Christmas albums. Rather than focusing on seasonal songs, the evening acted as a nostalgic excuse for a trip back to the earnest and heart-rending style of 90s R&B.

Starting Performances: Timeless Vibes

The group Dru Hill delivered iconic R&B in coordinated attire, with videos from the 2000s playing behind them. Following this, a performance of mostly slow jams from Joe prepared the audience for the headlining acts.

The Moving Set

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

However, deep into her performance, she spoke about her battles with lupus and being told she might not perform live again. Singing Breathe Again in a single spotlight, she gave a profoundly heartfelt moment. “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 encored with an flawless, though slightly abridged, rendition of her signature hit, Un-break My Heart.

Boyz II Men: Harmony Virtuosos

Taking the stage in strikingly matching all-white suits, Boyz II Men opened with Motownphilly. They moved through hits like Water Runs Dry and On Bended Knee, demonstrating awe-inspiring three-way vocals that were both precise and responsive to their live band.

Their set included covers of influences, such as a standout guitar piece on Purple Rain, and tracks inspired by them, like Bruno Mars’s Locked Out of Heaven.

A Touch of Holiday Cheer

Finally, the concert turned to the Christmas theme with renditions of Silent Night and Let It Snow. The show ended with a strong finale of anthems including One Sweet Day, I’ll Make Love To You, and End of the Road.

Final Impressions

While the evening's production experienced some hiccups, and the feeling at times was of artists paying homage to their younger selves, the overall result was transportive. The crowd was briefly taken back to the golden age of R&B, leaving sprinkled with sparkle rather than frost.