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This yearly R&B Xmas Ball showcased a lineup of performers renowned for their Christmas albums. Rather than focusing on carols, the night acted as a nostalgic excuse for a voyage back to the earnest and heart-rending style of 1990s R&B.

Opening Performances: Classic Feelings

The group Dru Hill presented classic R&B in coordinated outfits, with music videos from the 2000s era displaying on screens behind them. Next, a set of mostly ballads from the artist Joe set the stage for the main acts.

The Powerful Performance

The opening of the song Last Last cleverly segued into He Wasn’t Man Enough, connecting Braxton's artistic legacy. Initially, her show with a backing band seemed anchored in the time period of her greatest success.

Then, nine songs into her performance, she opened up about her struggle with lupus and being told she might not perform live again. Performing Breathe Again in a solitary beam of light, she gave a deeply heartfelt performance. “As long as I live, I will never forget tonight,” she declared earnestly.

Driving guitar chords then catapulted the audience into Long As I Live, cementing her grip over the audience's emotions. She finished with an flawless, though somewhat shortened, version of her iconic hit, Un-break My Heart.

The Group Boyz II Men: Vocal Virtuosos

Appearing on stage in strikingly matching white outfits, Boyz II Men opened with Motownphilly. They moved through hits like Water Runs Dry and On Bended Knee, demonstrating awe-inspiring three-way vocals that were both tight and reactive to their live band.

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

A Touch of Holiday Spirit

Towards the end, the concert turned to the Christmas theme with renditions of Silent Night and Let It Snow. The performance concluded with a powerful closing run of anthems including One Sweet Day, I’ll Make Love To You, and End of the Road.

Final Thoughts

While the evening's production experienced some glitches, and the feeling at times was of stars performing a tribute to their younger selves, the overall effect was transformative. The crowd was temporarily taken back to the peak era of R&B, going home sprinkled with glitter rather than snow.