R&B Christmas Ball Review: A Heartfelt Trip Back to the 90s
This yearly Rhythm and Blues Christmas Concert showcased a roster of artists known for their Christmas albums. Instead of focusing on seasonal songs, the evening acted as a sentimental reason for a voyage back to the sincere and heart-rending style of 1990s R&B.
Starting Acts: Classic Feelings
Dru Hill delivered classic R&B in coordinated attire, with music videos from the 2000s playing behind them. Next, a performance of mostly ballads from Joe prepared the audience for the main artists.
The Moving Performance
The opening of the song Last Last cleverly segued into He Wasn’t Man Enough, connecting Braxton's artistic heritage. At first, her show with a live band seemed rooted in the era of her peak fame.
However, deep into her set, she opened up about her struggle with lupus and being told she might never perform live again. Performing Breathe Again in a solitary beam of light, she delivered a profoundly emotional moment. “As long as I live, I will never forget tonight,” she declared sincerely.
Driving guitar chords then catapulted the audience into Long As I Live, cementing her command over the crowd's hearts. She encored with an flawless, though slightly abridged, rendition of her iconic hit, Un-break My Heart.
Boyz II Men: Vocal Masters
Taking the stage in dazzlingly matching all-white outfits, Boyz II Men opened with Motownphilly. They performed classics like Water Runs Dry and On Bended Knee, showcasing breathtaking three-way harmonies that were both tight and responsive to their accompaniment.
Their performance featured interpretations of inspirations, such as a memorable 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 embraced the Christmas mood with renditions of Silent Night and Let It Snow. The show concluded with a powerful finale of anthems including One Sweet Day, I’ll Make Love To You, and End of the Road.
Overall Impressions
While the evening's technical execution experienced some hiccups, and the feeling at points was of artists paying homage to their past selves, the net effect was transformative. The audience was temporarily taken back to the peak era of R&B, going home dusted with glitter rather than frost.
