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This yearly R&B Xmas Ball featured a roster of performers renowned for their holiday albums. Instead of focusing on seasonal songs, the evening acted as a sentimental excuse for a trip back to the sincere and emotional style of 1990s R&B.

Opening Performances: Classic Feelings

Dru Hill presented classic R&B in coordinated outfits, with music videos from the 2000s playing behind them. Following this, a performance of mostly slow jams from the artist Joe prepared the audience for the main artists.

Toni Braxton's Moving Set

The opening of the song Last Last skillfully transitioned into He Wasn’t Man Enough, tying in Braxton's musical legacy. At first, her performance with a backing band seemed anchored in the time period of her greatest success.

However, nine songs into her set, she opened up about her battles with lupus and being told she might never perform on stage again. Performing Breathe Again in a single spotlight, she delivered a profoundly heartfelt performance. “For as long as I live, I will never forget tonight,” she stated earnestly.

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

Boyz II Men: Harmony Virtuosos

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, showcasing awe-inspiring three-way vocals that were both precise and reactive to their live band.

Their performance featured covers of influences, such as a memorable solo on Purple Rain, and tracks inspired by them, like Bruno Mars’s Locked Out of Heaven.

A Dash of Christmas Spirit

Towards the end, the evening embraced the Christmas mood with performances of Silent Night and Let It Snow. The performance concluded with a strong finale of anthems 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 times was of stars performing a tribute to their past selves, the net effect was transformative. The audience was temporarily transported to the golden age of R&B, going home sprinkled with glitter rather than snow.