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This second annual R&B Xmas Ball featured a lineup of performers known for their holiday albums. Instead of focusing on carols, the evening served as a nostalgic excuse for a voyage back to the sincere and heart-rending sound of 1990s R&B.

Starting Acts: Classic Feelings

Dru Hill delivered classic R&B in coordinated outfits, with videos from the 2000s playing on screens behind them. Next, a performance of mostly ballads from Joe set the stage for the main acts.

Toni Braxton's Powerful Set

The beginning of the song Last Last skillfully segued into He Wasn’t Man Enough, tying in Braxton's artistic heritage. At first, her show with a backing band appeared rooted in the time period of her peak success.

However, nine songs into her set, she spoke 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 deeply emotional moment. “For as long as I live, I will never forget tonight,” she stated sincerely.

Power chords then launched the crowd into Long As I Live, solidifying her grip over the crowd's emotions. She finished with an flawless, though slightly abridged, version of her iconic hit, Un-break My Heart.

The Group Boyz II Men: Harmony Virtuosos

Taking the stage in dazzlingly matching white suits, Boyz II Men began with Motownphilly. They performed hits like Water Runs Dry and On Bended Knee, demonstrating breathtaking three-way harmonies that were both precise and responsive to their live band.

Their set included interpretations of influences, such as a standout guitar piece on Purple Rain, and songs influenced by them, like Bruno Mars’s Locked Out of Heaven.

A Dash of Holiday Cheer

Finally, the concert turned to the Christmas mood with renditions of Silent Night and Let It Snow. The performance concluded with a powerful closing run of anthems 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 artists performing a tribute to their past selves, the overall effect was transformative. The crowd was briefly transported to the golden age of R&B, going home sprinkled with glitter rather than frost.