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This yearly Rhythm and Blues Christmas Concert featured a roster of artists known for their holiday albums. Rather than focusing on carols, the night served as a sentimental reason for a voyage back to the earnest and heart-rending style of 1990s R&B.

Opening Performances: Classic Feelings

The group Dru Hill presented classic R&B in coordinated attire, with videos from the 2000s displaying on screens behind them. Following this, a performance of mostly slow jams from Joe prepared the audience for the headlining artists.

The Moving Performance

The beginning of Burna Boy’s Last Last skillfully transitioned into He Wasn’t Man Enough, tying in Braxton's musical heritage. At first, her performance with a live band seemed anchored in the time period of her peak success.

However, nine songs into her performance, she opened up about her battles with lupus and being told she might not perform on stage again. Singing Breathe Again in a single spotlight, she gave a deeply emotional performance. “For as long as I live, I will never forget tonight,” she declared sincerely.

Power chords then catapulted the crowd into Long As I Live, solidifying her command over the audience's emotions. She finished with an flawless, though somewhat abridged, rendition of her iconic hit, Un-break My Heart.

Boyz II Men: Vocal Virtuosos

Appearing on stage in dazzlingly coordinated all-white outfits, Boyz II Men opened with Motownphilly. They performed hits like Water Runs Dry and On Bended Knee, showcasing awe-inspiring three-way harmonies that were both precise and responsive to their accompaniment.

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

A Dash of Holiday Cheer

Finally, the evening embraced the holiday theme with performances of Silent Night and Let It Snow. The show concluded with a powerful finale of anthems including One Sweet Day, I’ll Make Love To You, and End of the Road.

Final Thoughts

While the evening's technical execution had some glitches, and the feeling at times was of stars performing a tribute to their past selves, the net result was transformative. The crowd was briefly transported to the peak era of R&B, leaving dusted with sparkle rather than frost.