R&B Christmas Concert Recap: An Emotional Trip Returning to the Nineties
This second annual Rhythm and Blues Christmas Concert featured a roster of performers renowned for their Christmas albums. Instead of centering on carols, the night acted as a nostalgic reason for a voyage back to the earnest and emotional sound of 90s R&B.
Starting Acts: Classic Feelings
The group Dru Hill delivered iconic R&B in coordinated attire, with music videos from the 2000s playing on screens behind them. Next, a set of primarily slow jams from the artist Joe prepared the audience for the headlining acts.
Toni Braxton's Powerful Set
The beginning of Burna Boy’s Last Last cleverly segued into He Wasn’t Man Enough, tying in Braxton's musical legacy. At first, her show with a backing band appeared anchored in the time period of her greatest success.
However, deep into her set, she opened up about her battles with lupus and being told she might not perform on stage again. Performing Breathe Again in a single spotlight, she gave a profoundly emotional performance. “As long as I live, I will never forget tonight,” she stated sincerely.
Power chords then launched the crowd into Long As I Live, cementing her grip over the crowd's emotions. She encored with an flawless, though slightly abridged, rendition of her signature hit, Un-break My Heart.
The Group Boyz II Men: Vocal Masters
Taking the stage in dazzlingly coordinated all-white outfits, Boyz II Men opened with Motownphilly. They moved through classics like Water Runs Dry and On Bended Knee, showcasing breathtaking three-way harmonies that were both tight and responsive to their live band.
Their set featured covers of influences, such as a standout solo on Purple Rain, and songs influenced by them, like Bruno Mars’s Locked Out of Heaven.
A Dash of Holiday Cheer
Finally, the evening turned to the Christmas theme with renditions 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.
Overall Impressions
Although the evening's production had some hiccups, and the feeling at times was of artists paying homage to their past selves, the overall effect was transportive. The crowd was briefly taken back to the peak era of R&B, going home sprinkled with glitter rather than frost.
