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The Maccabeats to Perform in Chester

The Maccabeats, a singing group that set a record for a video going viral (more than 10 million hits in eight days), and that performed for President Barack Obama in the East Room and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg at Gracie Mansion, will bring its unique brand of harmony, humor, and musical inventiveness to Chester on Sunday, March 19, at 5 p.m., at Congregation Beth Shalom Rodfe Zedek, 55 East Kings Highway, Chester.

David Zeleznik, producer of the synagogue’s Music & More series, says, “The Maccabeats are an a cappella group from the heart of Brooklyn that started at Yeshiva University with incredibly hunky young men, terrific voices, and a good dose of humor that is the closest thing to a Jewish youth sensation these days. And adults should not feel left out—these guys are just plain fun and joyous. If you have not seen any of their music videos yet, stop reading this and go to YouTube right now.”

The group, with its name inspired by the Maccabees, heroes of the Chanukah story, became literally an overnight sensation during the holiday season in 2010. It used a tune by Taio Cruz, “Dynamite,” and turned it into “Candlelight” (www.youtube.com/user/MaccabeatsVideos), a playful Chanukah celebration—”I flip my latkes in the air sometimes, saying ‘ay-oh,’ spin the dreidel”—that it went viral so fast that it soon became number one on the Billboard Comedy Digital Track Charts.

The Maccabeats have followed up with a variety of songs and albums that have reinvented Jewish music, and have been cheered by audiences on five continents.

Recently, the group released another hot video, this one reinterpreting the smash Broadway hit Hamilton as a Jewish story.

A sell-out crowd is expected, and advance ticket purchase is highly recommended. Advance general admission tickets are $35 for adults (or $40 at door, pending availability) and free admission for children 16 and under. As always at Music & More concerts, ticket price includes an after-concert reception and an opportunity to meet the band. For tickets and more information, visit www.cbsrz.org or call the synagogue office at 860-526-8920.