Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


An award-winning barbershop quartet based in the U.K. is coming to Livingston County this weekend – marking a rare opportunity to see and hear an international competitor quartet.

Fifth Element is touring America on their way to the 2025 International Barbershop Convention in Denver at the end of the month.

The local non-profit Livingston Lamplighters, a Family Barbershop A cappella Chorus, is hosting the event.

Director Jason Hall told WHMI they are very excited to be bringing in the British Association of Barbershop Singers or BABS International Champions to Livingston County this weekend. He described it as a “once in a lifetime opportunity to see the best of the best”.

The show is free and starts at 6pm this Sunday at The Well Church at 2376 Genoa Business Park Drive, off Grand River behind Arturo’s restaurant.

Fifth Element is an award-winning barbershop quartet based in the UK, known for vibrant performances that span both traditional barbershop and modern genres. After several contests placing in and around the medals, Fifth Element won the British Quartet Contest at BABS’ 50th Anniversary Convention in Harrogate in 2024.

As part of Sunday’s show, both the Livingston Lamplighters and the 2025 Michigan District Seniors Quartet Champions “Mezzo Forte” will also be performing some songs.

Hall said they’re “hoping to show Livingston County how this very unique A cappella style of singing has changed but is still awesome to watch and fun to listen to”. He added Fifth Element sings at an extra-high level – which people really don’t get to hear live very often.

The Livingston Lamplighters have been around for 26 years locally.
Hall said many long-time local residents will likely remember a group of men walking around in white pants and boater hats singing to people. He said the group has since evolved into an all-inclusive, mixed-family chorus that welcomes anyone to join no matter what “their pronouns or their singing level”.

Hall said they became a family barbershop chorus in 2019 - just before COVID hit – and they’ve continued to grow and the “sound is amazing”. He said they have a wonderful group of people with around 25 active members, and 30 inactive members but they want to continue growing. Hall noted they are a “learning” chorus so people who don’t have a lot of musical experience can still come in and learn to sing with them.

The Lamplighters perform a wide variety of music in high-energy shows and will be doing a Motown Review at the end of the year – with one song being “Heard It Through The Grapevine”. In the winter between Thanksgiving and Christmas, Hall said they stay really busy performing at home for older individuals throughout Livingston County.

The Livingston Lamplighters rehearse at The Well Church on Monday nights from 7 to 9pm and encourage community members to get involved.

More information about the non-profit and upcoming event is available in the provided links.