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This yearly R&B Xmas Ball featured a lineup of performers renowned for their Christmas albums. Instead of centering on seasonal songs, the evening acted as a sentimental excuse for a voyage back to the sincere and heart-rending sound of 1990s R&B.

Opening Acts: Timeless Vibes

The group Dru Hill delivered classic R&B in coordinated attire, with videos from the 2000s era displaying on screens behind them. Following this, a performance of mostly ballads from the artist Joe set the stage for the headlining artists.

Toni Braxton's Powerful Performance

The opening of the song Last Last skillfully transitioned into He Wasn’t Man Enough, tying in Braxton's artistic heritage. At first, her performance with a backing band seemed rooted in the era of her greatest fame.

However, deep into her set, she opened up about her struggle with lupus and being told she might never sing live again. Singing Breathe Again in a solitary beam of light, she delivered a deeply emotional performance. “As long as I live, I will never forget tonight,” she stated sincerely.

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

Boyz II Men: Harmony Masters

Taking the stage in dazzlingly coordinated all-white suits, Boyz II Men opened with Motownphilly. They performed classics like Water Runs Dry and On Bended Knee, showcasing breathtaking three-part vocals that were both precise and reactive to their accompaniment.

Their performance featured covers of inspirations, including a standout guitar piece on Purple Rain, and tracks influenced by them, like Bruno Mars’s Locked Out of Heaven.

A Dash of Holiday Spirit

Towards the end, the concert embraced the holiday mood with renditions of Silent Night and Let It Snow. The show concluded 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 technical execution had some glitches, and the sense at points was of stars paying homage to their younger selves, the net effect was transformative. The crowd was temporarily taken back to the golden age of R&B, leaving sprinkled with sparkle rather than frost.