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The yearly Rhythm and Blues Christmas Concert showcased a lineup of performers known for their Christmas records. Instead of focusing on seasonal songs, the night served as a sentimental excuse for a voyage back to the sincere and emotional style of 90s R&B.

Starting Acts: Classic Vibes

The group Dru Hill delivered iconic R&B in matching outfits, with music videos from the 2000s playing behind them. Following this, a performance of mostly slow jams from Joe prepared the audience for the headlining artists.

Toni Braxton's Powerful Performance

The opening of Burna Boy’s Last Last cleverly segued into He Wasn’t Man Enough, tying in Braxton's musical heritage. At first, her performance with a live band appeared rooted in the time period of her peak success.

Then, nine songs into her performance, she spoke about her struggle with lupus and being told she might not perform live 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.

Power chords then catapulted the audience into Long As I Live, solidifying her grip over the audience's emotions. She finished with an flawless, though slightly shortened, rendition of her iconic hit, Un-break My Heart.

The Group Boyz II Men: Vocal Masters

Appearing on stage in strikingly matching white outfits, Boyz II Men began with Motownphilly. They moved through hits like Water Runs Dry and On Bended Knee, demonstrating awe-inspiring three-way harmonies that were both precise and responsive to their accompaniment.

Their set included covers of inspirations, such as a standout guitar piece on Purple Rain, and tracks influenced by them, like Bruno Mars’s Locked Out of Heaven.

A Touch of Christmas Cheer

Finally, the evening embraced the holiday mood with performances of Silent Night and Let It Snow. The performance ended with a powerful finale of anthems including One Sweet Day, I’ll Make Love To You, and End of the Road.

Overall Impressions

Although the evening's technical execution experienced some hiccups, and the feeling at times was of stars performing a tribute to their younger selves, the overall result was transformative. The crowd was temporarily transported to the peak era of R&B, leaving sprinkled with glitter rather than snow.