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The yearly R&B Xmas Ball featured a lineup of performers renowned for their holiday records. Instead of focusing on seasonal songs, the night served as a sentimental excuse for a trip back to the earnest and emotional style of 90s R&B.

Opening Performances: Timeless Vibes

Dru Hill presented iconic R&B in coordinated attire, with videos from the 2000s playing on screens behind them. Next, a performance of mostly ballads from Joe set the stage 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 rooted in the era of her greatest fame.

However, deep into her set, she spoke about her battles with lupus and being told she might never perform live again. Singing Breathe Again in a single spotlight, she gave a deeply emotional moment. “As long as I live, I will never forget tonight,” she declared sincerely.

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

Boyz II Men: Harmony Masters

Taking the stage in dazzlingly coordinated white suits, Boyz II Men began 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 set included covers of influences, including a standout solo on Purple Rain, and songs influenced by them, like Bruno Mars’s Locked Out of Heaven.

A Touch of Holiday Spirit

Finally, the evening embraced the Christmas theme with renditions of Silent Night and Let It Snow. The show ended with a powerful closing run of anthems including One Sweet Day, I’ll Make Love To You, and End of the Road.

Final Thoughts

Although the night's technical execution experienced some hiccups, and the sense at times was of stars paying homage to their past selves, the overall effect was transportive. The audience was briefly taken back to the peak era of R&B, going home dusted with glitter rather than snow.