🔗 Share this article

This second annual Rhythm and Blues Christmas Concert featured a roster of performers known for their holiday records. Instead of centering on seasonal songs, the evening acted as a sentimental reason for a trip back to the earnest and emotional style of 90s R&B.

Opening Acts: Classic Feelings

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

Toni Braxton's Powerful Set

The opening of Burna Boy’s Last Last cleverly transitioned into He Wasn’t Man Enough, tying in Braxton's musical legacy. At first, her show with a live band appeared anchored in the era 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. Performing Breathe Again in a solitary beam of light, she delivered a deeply heartfelt moment. “As long as I live, I will never forget tonight,” she stated earnestly.

Driving guitar chords then launched the audience into Long As I Live, cementing her command over the crowd's hearts. She encored with an impeccable, though somewhat shortened, version of her signature hit, Un-break My Heart.

Boyz II Men: Vocal Virtuosos

Appearing on stage in strikingly matching white outfits, Boyz II Men opened with Motownphilly. They performed classics like Water Runs Dry and On Bended Knee, demonstrating awe-inspiring three-part vocals that were both precise and reactive to their accompaniment.

Their set featured covers of inspirations, including a standout solo on Purple Rain, and songs inspired by them, like Bruno Mars’s Locked Out of Heaven.

A Touch of Christmas Spirit

Towards the end, the concert turned to the Christmas theme with renditions of Silent Night and Let It Snow. The show concluded with a powerful closing run of anthems including One Sweet Day, I’ll Make Love To You, and End of the Road.

Final Impressions

Although the night's production experienced some hiccups, and the feeling at times was of artists performing a tribute to their past selves, the overall result was transportive. The audience was temporarily taken back to the golden age of R&B, going home dusted with glitter rather than snow.