🔗 Share this article Rhythm and Blues Xmas Ball Review: A Emotional Journey Back to the Nineties This second annual R&B Xmas Ball featured a lineup of performers renowned for their holiday albums. Instead of centering on seasonal songs, the night served as a nostalgic excuse for a voyage back to the sincere and heart-rending style of 90s R&B. Starting Performances: Timeless Vibes Dru Hill delivered classic R&B in matching attire, with videos from the 2000s playing on screens behind them. Next, a set of mostly ballads from the artist Joe prepared the audience for the main artists. The Moving Performance The beginning of the song Last Last skillfully segued into He Wasn’t Man Enough, tying in Braxton's musical heritage. At first, her performance with a backing band appeared rooted in the time period of her peak success. Then, nine songs into her performance, she opened up about her struggle with lupus and being told she might never sing live again. Performing Breathe Again in a solitary beam of light, she gave a deeply emotional performance. “For as long as I live, I will never forget tonight,” she declared sincerely. Power chords then launched the audience into Long As I Live, cementing her command over the crowd's emotions. She finished with an flawless, though somewhat shortened, version of her signature hit, Un-break My Heart. Boyz II Men: Harmony Masters Appearing on stage in strikingly matching white suits, Boyz II Men began with Motownphilly. They moved through classics like Water Runs Dry and On Bended Knee, demonstrating awe-inspiring three-way harmonies that were both tight and responsive to their live band. Their set included covers of influences, including a memorable solo on Purple Rain, and tracks influenced by them, like Bruno Mars’s Locked Out of Heaven. A Touch of Holiday Cheer Towards the end, the concert turned to the holiday mood with renditions of Silent Night and Let It Snow. The performance concluded with a powerful finale of hits including One Sweet Day, I’ll Make Love To You, and End of the Road. Overall Thoughts Although the evening's technical execution had some glitches, and the sense at times was of artists performing a tribute to their younger selves, the overall result was transportive. The audience was briefly taken back to the golden age of R&B, leaving sprinkled with sparkle rather than frost.