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The second annual Rhythm and Blues Christmas Concert featured a lineup of performers known for their Christmas records. Rather than focusing on carols, the night acted as a sentimental reason for a trip back to the sincere and heart-rending style of 90s R&B.

Opening Performances: Classic Feelings

Dru Hill delivered classic R&B in matching outfits, with videos from the 2000s era playing on screens behind them. Following this, a set of primarily ballads from Joe prepared the audience for the main acts.

Toni Braxton's Moving Performance

The opening of the song Last Last skillfully segued into He Wasn’t Man Enough, connecting Braxton's musical legacy. At first, her show with a live band seemed anchored in the era of her peak fame.

However, deep into her performance, 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 deeply heartfelt performance. “As long as I live, I will never forget tonight,” she stated sincerely.

Driving guitar chords then launched the audience into Long As I Live, cementing her grip over the audience's hearts. She encored with an impeccable, though somewhat abridged, version of her signature hit, Un-break My Heart.

Boyz II Men: Vocal Virtuosos

Appearing on stage in strikingly coordinated white outfits, Boyz II Men opened with Motownphilly. They moved through classics like Water Runs Dry and On Bended Knee, showcasing breathtaking three-way vocals that were both precise and responsive to their live band.

Their set included interpretations of influences, such as a standout solo on Purple Rain, and songs inspired by them, like Bruno Mars’s Locked Out of Heaven.

A Touch of Holiday Cheer

Finally, the evening embraced the holiday mood 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.

Overall Impressions

Although the night's production had some hiccups, and the sense at points was of stars performing a tribute to their past selves, the net effect was transformative. The audience was briefly taken back to the peak era of R&B, leaving dusted with glitter rather than frost.