The sound of a snare drum echoed through the Holy Blossom Temple, followed by a bass drum, a trombone and, in a tribute to Scotland, the distinct sound of bagpipes. Yet there were no instruments in sight. The music was coming from the performers’ mouths.

Armed with nothing more than microphones, Six13 performed on May 25 to a crowd of more than 300. The New York-based Jewish a cappella group, made up of six young performers, transformed several Jewish hymns with their unique mixture of melodic harmonies and beatbox skills (a form of vocal percussion).

Six13 was the last performance in the temple’s musical heritage series. The concert, a tribute to Israel’s 60th birthday, opened with the Lachan Jewish Chamber Choir, led by musical director Cantor Benjamin Maissner. When introducing the group, Maissner said that he had fallen in love with the “youngsters” as soon as he met them.

Dressed in identical black suit jackets, white dress shirts and blue jeans, the members of Six13 transfixed the audience with a mix of original songs and adaptations from their first two albums. While about 70 per cent of their concert was made up of originals, the group also performed songs such as Adon Olam.

Many of the group’s original songs came from the member’s personal reactions and experiences. Home, a song on their first CD, was born out of an interview the group saw on the news. A bus driver who had been through three suicide bombings told a reporter that he would continue driving the bus. When asked why, he simply said, “I have to, this is my home.”

Son, a song from their second album, was dedicated to kidnapped soldiers.

“People take it for granted [that parents send their] kids off to war,” said Alan Zeitlin, one of the members of the group. “Our hearts are with them.”  

While Six13’s beatbox styles add a kick to their songs, the group’s voices stand on their own. With their perfect mix of tenor, bass and baritone melodies, their signature song, Lecha Dodi, was so pure it gave me goose bumps.

Still, the best part of the concert was not the beatboxing or the melodies, it was the audience’s reaction. In the midst of all the humming and applause, a single Israeli flag waved in the audience, keeping up with the beat.

While there were a few teenagers in the crowd, it was the adults who sang along to the music, swaying rhythmically like teens at a Coldplay concert.

Far from just singing, Six13 bonded with the crowd. The group’s secret is its charisma. The laughter of the people in the audience rippled through the room when they were not applauding or humming along.

Each performer had a share of the spotlight – from Justin Rosenblum’s reminder that he’s completely single, (hint, hint) to Mike Boxer’s beatbox tutorial.

It wasn’t hard to find the performers after the concert, but it was nearly impossible to reach them. The second Six13 walked off the stage, swarms of people surrounded them and began shaking their hands, patting their backs and buying CD after CD. The only thing missing was an angry bodyguard.