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This second annual R&B Xmas Ball featured a roster of performers renowned for their holiday albums. Rather than focusing on seasonal songs, the evening served as a nostalgic excuse for a trip back to the sincere and emotional style of 90s R&B.

Starting Performances: Timeless Feelings

Dru Hill presented iconic R&B in matching attire, with videos from the 2000s playing behind them. Following this, a set of mostly slow jams from the artist Joe set the stage for the main artists.

Toni Braxton's Moving Performance

The beginning of the song Last Last cleverly segued into He Wasn’t Man Enough, connecting Braxton's artistic heritage. Initially, her show with a backing band appeared anchored in the time period of her greatest fame.

Then, nine songs into her performance, she opened up about her struggle with lupus and being told she might never sing on stage again. Performing Breathe Again in a solitary beam of light, she delivered a deeply heartfelt moment. “For as long as I live, I will never forget tonight,” she declared earnestly.

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

Boyz II Men: Harmony Virtuosos

Appearing on stage in strikingly coordinated all-white outfits, Boyz II Men began with Motownphilly. They moved through hits like Water Runs Dry and On Bended Knee, demonstrating awe-inspiring three-part harmonies that were both precise and reactive to their accompaniment.

Their set included 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 Touch of Holiday Cheer

Towards the end, the evening turned to the holiday theme with performances of Silent Night and Let It Snow. The performance concluded with a powerful finale 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 stars paying homage to their younger selves, the net effect was transportive. The crowd was briefly taken back to the peak era of R&B, leaving dusted with glitter rather than frost.