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The yearly R&B Xmas Ball featured a roster of performers known for their holiday albums. Rather than focusing on seasonal songs, the evening served as a sentimental reason for a voyage back to the sincere and heart-rending sound of 1990s R&B.

Starting Performances: Timeless Feelings

Dru Hill presented classic R&B in coordinated attire, with videos from the 2000s playing on screens behind them. Next, a performance of mostly slow jams from the artist Joe set the stage for the headlining acts.

Toni Braxton's Powerful Performance

The beginning of Burna Boy’s Last Last skillfully segued into He Wasn’t Man Enough, connecting Braxton's artistic heritage. At first, her show with a backing band appeared rooted in the time period of her greatest success.

Then, nine songs into her set, she spoke about her struggle with lupus and being told she might never perform live again. Performing Breathe Again in a single spotlight, she gave a deeply emotional moment. “As long as I live, I will never forget tonight,” she declared earnestly.

Driving guitar chords then launched the audience into Long As I Live, solidifying her command over the audience's hearts. She finished with an flawless, though slightly abridged, rendition of her signature hit, Un-break My Heart.

Boyz II Men: Harmony Masters

Taking the stage in strikingly matching white outfits, Boyz II Men began with Motownphilly. They moved through hits like Water Runs Dry and On Bended Knee, demonstrating breathtaking three-way vocals that were both precise and reactive to their accompaniment.

Their performance included covers of influences, 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

Finally, the concert turned to the holiday theme with renditions of Silent Night and Let It Snow. The show 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

Although the evening's technical execution had some hiccups, and the feeling at times was of artists paying homage to their younger selves, the net effect was transportive. The crowd was briefly taken back to the golden age of R&B, going home sprinkled with sparkle rather than snow.