Rhythm and Blues Xmas Concert Review: An Emotional Journey Returning to the Nineties
This yearly Rhythm and Blues Christmas Concert featured a lineup of artists known for their Christmas records. Rather than centering on seasonal songs, the evening served as a nostalgic excuse for a trip back to the earnest and heart-rending style of 90s R&B.
Opening Acts: Timeless Feelings
The group Dru Hill delivered classic R&B in coordinated outfits, with music videos from the 2000s era playing on screens behind them. Next, a set of primarily slow jams from Joe prepared the audience for the main artists.
Toni Braxton's Powerful Performance
The opening of the song Last Last skillfully transitioned into He Wasn’t Man Enough, connecting Braxton's artistic heritage. Initially, her performance with a backing band seemed rooted in the time period of her peak success.
Then, nine songs into her set, 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 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 emotions. She finished with an impeccable, though somewhat abridged, rendition of her signature hit, Un-break My Heart.
The Group Boyz II Men: Vocal Virtuosos
Appearing on stage in dazzlingly coordinated all-white outfits, Boyz II Men opened with Motownphilly. They moved through hits like Water Runs Dry and On Bended Knee, demonstrating breathtaking three-way vocals that were both tight and reactive to their live band.
Their performance featured covers of inspirations, including a standout guitar piece on Purple Rain, and tracks inspired by them, like Bruno Mars’s Locked Out of Heaven.
A Touch of Christmas Spirit
Finally, the evening turned to the holiday mood with renditions of Silent Night and Let It Snow. The show concluded with a powerful closing run of anthems including One Sweet Day, I’ll Make Love To You, and End of the Road.
Overall Impressions
Although the night's technical execution experienced some glitches, and the feeling at times was of artists paying homage to their past selves, the net effect was transportive. The audience was temporarily transported to the peak era of R&B, leaving dusted with glitter rather than frost.
