🔗 Share this article R&B Xmas Ball Review: A Heartfelt Journey Returning to the Nineties This yearly R&B Xmas Ball featured a lineup of artists known for their holiday records. Instead of focusing on seasonal songs, the evening acted as a nostalgic reason for a voyage back to the sincere and heart-rending sound of 1990s R&B. Opening Acts: Classic Vibes Dru Hill delivered iconic R&B in matching outfits, with videos from the 2000s displaying on screens behind them. Following this, a performance of mostly slow jams from the artist Joe set the stage for the main artists. The Powerful Set The beginning of Burna Boy’s Last Last skillfully segued into He Wasn’t Man Enough, connecting Braxton's artistic legacy. At first, her show with a live band seemed anchored in the time period of her peak success. However, deep into her set, she opened up about her battles with lupus and being told she might not sing live again. Performing Breathe Again in a solitary beam of light, she gave a deeply emotional performance. “As long as I live, I will never forget tonight,” she declared sincerely. Power chords then launched the crowd into Long As I Live, solidifying her command over the crowd's emotions. She encored with an flawless, though somewhat abridged, version of her signature hit, Un-break My Heart. The Group Boyz II Men: Harmony Virtuosos Taking the stage in dazzlingly coordinated white outfits, Boyz II Men began with Motownphilly. They moved through classics like Water Runs Dry and On Bended Knee, showcasing breathtaking three-part vocals that were both precise and reactive to their accompaniment. Their set included interpretations of inspirations, including a standout guitar piece on Purple Rain, and songs inspired by them, like Bruno Mars’s Locked Out of Heaven. A Touch of Holiday Spirit Finally, the concert turned to the holiday theme with performances of Silent Night and Let It Snow. The show concluded with a powerful closing run of hits including One Sweet Day, I’ll Make Love To You, and End of the Road. Final Impressions Although the night's production experienced some hiccups, and the feeling at points was of artists paying homage to their younger selves, the overall result was transportive. The crowd was briefly taken back to the peak era of R&B, going home dusted with sparkle rather than snow.