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The yearly Rhythm and Blues Christmas Concert featured a lineup of artists renowned for their Christmas albums. Rather than focusing on carols, the night acted as a sentimental excuse for a trip back to the earnest and heart-rending sound of 1990s R&B.

Starting Acts: Timeless Feelings

Dru Hill delivered iconic R&B in matching outfits, with videos from the 2000s era displaying behind them. Following this, a performance of mostly ballads from the artist Joe set the stage for the headlining acts.

The Powerful Performance

The opening of Burna Boy’s Last Last cleverly segued into He Wasn’t Man Enough, tying in Braxton's artistic heritage. At first, her performance with a backing band appeared rooted in the era of her greatest fame.

Then, deep into her performance, she opened up about her struggle with lupus and being told she might never perform live again. Singing Breathe Again in a solitary beam of light, she gave a profoundly emotional moment. “For as long as I live, I will never forget tonight,” she declared sincerely.

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

Boyz II Men: Harmony Virtuosos

Taking the stage in dazzlingly coordinated white suits, Boyz II Men began with Motownphilly. They performed classics like Water Runs Dry and On Bended Knee, showcasing awe-inspiring three-way harmonies that were both precise and responsive to their live band.

Their set featured interpretations of influences, including a standout guitar piece on Purple Rain, and songs inspired by them, like Bruno Mars’s Locked Out of Heaven.

A Dash of Christmas Cheer

Towards the end, the evening turned to the Christmas theme with renditions 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.

Overall Impressions

Although the evening's production had some hiccups, and the feeling at points was of artists 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 glitter rather than snow.