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This yearly R&B Xmas Ball featured a lineup of performers known for their holiday albums. Rather than centering on carols, the evening acted as a nostalgic excuse for a trip back to the earnest and heart-rending sound of 90s R&B.

Opening Performances: Classic Vibes

Dru Hill delivered iconic R&B in matching outfits, with music videos from the 2000s playing on screens behind them. Following this, a performance of mostly slow jams from the artist Joe prepared the audience for the headlining artists.

Toni Braxton's Moving Performance

The beginning of the song Last Last cleverly transitioned into He Wasn’t Man Enough, tying in Braxton's musical legacy. At first, her performance with a backing band appeared rooted in the time period of her peak fame.

Then, deep into her set, she opened up about her battles with lupus and being told she might never perform live again. Performing Breathe Again in a solitary beam of light, she gave a profoundly heartfelt performance. “As long as I live, I will never forget tonight,” she stated earnestly.

Power chords then catapulted the audience into Long As I Live, solidifying her command over the crowd's hearts. She encored with an flawless, though slightly shortened, rendition of her signature hit, Un-break My Heart.

Boyz II Men: Harmony Masters

Taking the stage in strikingly coordinated 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 tight and reactive to their live band.

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

A Touch of Holiday Spirit

Towards the end, the concert embraced the Christmas mood with performances 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 Impressions

Although the night's technical execution had some hiccups, and the feeling at points was of stars performing a tribute to their past selves, the net effect was transportive. The crowd was temporarily transported to the golden age of R&B, going home dusted with glitter rather than frost.