Zero Degrees Show Chorus is a women's a cappella chorus based in Louth. The singers meet every Thursday evening at the Trinity Centre to rehearse four-part harmony, and the group welcomes new members with no audition and no need to read music.
Louth is full of clubs and groups that quietly keep the town going, and this one sings. Founded in 2014, the chorus performs at festivals, care homes, charity events and private celebrations, and it takes its name from Louth's place on the Greenwich Meridian.
Where the Name Comes From
The chorus takes its name from Louth's position on the Greenwich Meridian, zero degrees longitude. It was started in 2014 by three experienced barbershop singers, Jane and Chris Mackintosh-Smith and their daughter Becky Peek, who had sung and conducted with choruses in Nottingham, Bristol and elsewhere. The first rehearsal was held at Louth Town Hall and drew about 70 people who were interested in joining.
The chorus first joined Sweet Adelines, then moved to the Ladies Association of British Barbershop Singers (LABBS) in 2018, and is still a member. LABBS turns 50 in 2026, and the Louth group marked the birthday by singing Happy Birthday to the association on film.
What They Sing
The style is a cappella, which means no instruments, with the voices split into four parts: tenors, leads, baritones and basses. The repertoire mixes old and new, and a look at the chorus's list of regular songs shows how wide it is, from Bohemian Rhapsody and Hallelujah to Here Comes the Sun, Don't Stop and Can You Feel the Love Tonight. Some numbers include movement as well as singing.
Since January 2026 the chorus has been led by musical director Robert Steadman, who also conducts the Horncastle Choral Society, the Isle Choral Singers and the Axeholme Orchestra, and who writes music as well.
Where You Might Hear Them
The chorus sings across Louth and the surrounding area. This autumn it performed at the Louth Food and Drink Festival on Sunday 27th September, at Manor Care Home in Louth, and at The Walled Garden Baumber for Lincolnshire Day, where the audience joined in with the actions. At its annual Wear It Pink evening this autumn, it raised money for Breast Cancer Now with bingo, quizzes, a guess-the-weight cake and some singing.
The next public concert listed on its website is at Candlesby Church at 7pm on Friday 4th December 2026. The chorus also accepts bookings from organisations and families for celebrations, charity events, birthdays, Christmas parties, weddings and christenings, and says it is now taking bookings for 2027.
Joining the Chorus
The chorus is open to women aged 18 and over. Singing experience is not needed, you do not have to read music, and no audition is mentioned. The musical director places new members in a voice part by listening to their range, learning tracks are provided so you can practise at home, and the chorus also holds section rehearsals. The website explains that newcomers are taken through a step-by-step process, explained at their second rehearsal, on the way to becoming full members.
Once you are a full member there is a monthly subscription, paid by standing order, which covers the hire of the venue, the musical director, new music and the LABBS subscription. The amount is not published, so ask when you get in touch. Rehearsals run on Thursdays from 7.15pm to 9.15pm at the Trinity Centre on Eastgate, Louth, LN11 8DJ. To arrange a visit, use the visit a rehearsal page on the chorus's website, or read about membership. The whole site is at zerodegreeschorus.com, and the chorus is also on Facebook.
More Ways to Meet People in Louth
If you are looking for a regular activity and a friendly room, our friendship and company guide lists other groups in and around the town.