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This yearly R&B Xmas Ball featured a roster of artists renowned for their holiday albums. Rather than focusing on carols, the night acted as a sentimental excuse for a trip back to the earnest and heart-rending sound of 1990s R&B.

Opening Acts: Timeless Vibes

The group Dru Hill delivered classic R&B in matching outfits, with videos from the 2000s displaying on screens behind them. Following this, a performance of mostly ballads from the artist Joe prepared the audience for the main acts.

Toni Braxton's Moving Performance

The opening of the song Last Last skillfully transitioned into He Wasn’t Man Enough, tying in Braxton's artistic heritage. At first, her performance with a live band seemed rooted in the time period of her greatest fame.

However, deep into her performance, she opened up about her struggle with lupus and being told she might never perform on stage again. Performing Breathe Again in a single spotlight, she delivered a deeply emotional moment. “As long as I live, I will never forget tonight,” she stated sincerely.

Power chords then catapulted the audience into Long As I Live, cementing her grip 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: Vocal Masters

Taking the stage in dazzlingly matching white suits, Boyz II Men opened with Motownphilly. They moved through hits like Water Runs Dry and On Bended Knee, showcasing awe-inspiring three-way vocals that were both tight and responsive to their accompaniment.

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

A Dash of Christmas Spirit

Finally, the concert turned to the holiday theme with renditions of Silent Night and Let It Snow. The performance concluded with a powerful closing run of hits including One Sweet Day, I’ll Make Love To You, and End of the Road.

Overall Impressions

While the evening's technical execution had some glitches, and the sense at times was of stars performing a tribute to their younger selves, the net effect was transformative. The audience was temporarily taken back to the peak era of R&B, going home dusted with sparkle rather than snow.