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The yearly Rhythm and Blues Christmas Concert showcased a lineup of performers renowned for their holiday albums. Instead of centering on seasonal songs, the evening acted as a sentimental reason for a voyage back to the sincere and emotional style of 1990s R&B.

Starting Acts: Timeless Feelings

Dru Hill presented classic R&B in matching attire, with music videos from the 2000s era displaying on screens behind them. Following this, a performance of primarily ballads from Joe set the stage for the main acts.

Toni Braxton's Moving Set

The opening of Burna Boy’s Last Last skillfully segued into He Wasn’t Man Enough, tying in Braxton's artistic legacy. At first, her show with a backing band seemed anchored in the time period of her greatest fame.

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

Power chords then launched the crowd into Long As I Live, cementing her grip over the crowd's hearts. She encored with an impeccable, though somewhat shortened, version of her signature hit, Un-break My Heart.

The Group Boyz II Men: Harmony Virtuosos

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

Their set featured covers of inspirations, such as a standout solo on Purple Rain, and tracks influenced by them, like Bruno Mars’s Locked Out of Heaven.

A Touch of Holiday Cheer

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

Overall Thoughts

While the evening's production experienced some hiccups, and the feeling at points was of artists performing a tribute to their younger selves, the overall result was transformative. The crowd was temporarily transported to the peak era of R&B, leaving sprinkled with sparkle rather than snow.