R&B Christmas Concert Review: An Heartfelt Trip Back to the 90s
This second annual Rhythm and Blues Christmas Concert featured a roster of artists known for their Christmas records. Instead of focusing on seasonal songs, the evening acted as a nostalgic excuse for a voyage back to the earnest and emotional style of 90s R&B.
Starting Acts: Timeless Vibes
The group Dru Hill presented iconic R&B in coordinated attire, with music videos from the 2000s playing behind them. Following this, a set of primarily slow jams from Joe prepared the audience for the headlining artists.
Toni Braxton's Moving Performance
The beginning of the song Last Last skillfully segued into He Wasn’t Man Enough, connecting Braxton's musical legacy. At first, her show with a live band seemed anchored in the time period of her peak success.
Then, deep into her set, she spoke about her struggle with lupus and being told she might never perform live again. Performing Breathe Again in a solitary beam of light, she gave a deeply emotional performance. “For as long as I live, I will never forget tonight,” she declared sincerely.
Power chords then catapulted the audience into Long As I Live, cementing her command over the audience's hearts. She encored with an flawless, though somewhat shortened, version of her iconic hit, Un-break My Heart.
The Group Boyz II Men: Harmony Virtuosos
Taking the stage in strikingly matching all-white outfits, Boyz II Men began with Motownphilly. They performed classics like Water Runs Dry and On Bended Knee, showcasing breathtaking three-way vocals that were both precise and responsive to their accompaniment.
Their set featured 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 Touch of Holiday Cheer
Finally, the concert embraced the Christmas theme with performances of Silent Night and Let It Snow. The performance ended with a strong closing run 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 experienced some glitches, and the sense at points was of artists performing a tribute to their past selves, the net effect was transportive. The audience was briefly taken back to the peak era of R&B, leaving sprinkled with sparkle rather than snow.
