Rhythm and Blues Xmas Ball Recap: A Emotional Trip Back to the Nineties
This yearly R&B Xmas Ball featured a roster of performers known for their holiday albums. Instead of centering on seasonal songs, the night acted as a sentimental excuse for a voyage back to the sincere and heart-rending style of 90s R&B.
Opening Performances: Timeless Feelings
Dru Hill delivered classic R&B in matching outfits, with videos from the 2000s playing on screens behind them. Following this, a set of mostly ballads from the artist Joe prepared the audience for the headlining acts.
Toni Braxton's Moving Set
The opening of Burna Boy’s Last Last skillfully transitioned into He Wasn’t Man Enough, connecting Braxton's artistic legacy. At first, her show with a backing band appeared rooted in the time period of her peak fame.
However, nine songs into her performance, she spoke about her struggle with lupus and being told she might never sing on stage again. Singing Breathe Again in a solitary beam of light, she delivered a profoundly emotional performance. “As long as I live, I will never forget tonight,” she declared sincerely.
Driving guitar chords then launched the audience into Long As I Live, cementing her command over the crowd's hearts. She encored with an flawless, though somewhat shortened, version of her signature hit, Un-break My Heart.
The Group Boyz II Men: Harmony Virtuosos
Appearing on stage in strikingly matching white suits, Boyz II Men opened with Motownphilly. They moved through hits like Water Runs Dry and On Bended Knee, showcasing breathtaking three-part vocals that were both tight and responsive to their accompaniment.
Their performance featured interpretations of inspirations, such as a memorable guitar piece on Purple Rain, and songs influenced by them, like Bruno Mars’s Locked Out of Heaven.
A Dash of Holiday Spirit
Finally, the evening embraced the holiday mood with renditions of Silent Night and Let It Snow. The show ended with a strong closing run 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 glitches, and the feeling at times was of artists paying homage to their younger selves, the net result was transportive. The crowd was briefly taken back to the peak era of R&B, leaving sprinkled with glitter rather than frost.
