The Drifters

The Drifters bring their long-running vocal legacy to The Forum in Bath on 22 April 2027. Formed in New York in 1953 around Clyde McPhatter, the group evolved from gospel-tinged doo-wop and rhythm and blues toward smoother soul and orchestrated pop as line-ups shifted through the late 50s and 60s. Ben E. King, Charlie Thomas, Rudy Lewis and Johnny Moore each shaped that sound, while sessions with Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller delivered a catalog that still anchors their sets: There Goes My Baby, Save the Last Dance for Me, Up on the Roof, Under the Boardwalk. On stage, the signature blend is the focus: close harmonies, lead-and-response phrasing, and arrangements that move between tender ballads and brisk mid-tempo grooves. The name The Drifters has passed through different formations, including a long UK chapter since the 70s, but the show centers on the repertoire and the vocal craft that link those eras, revisiting milestones of American pop and soul with a live, harmony-driven energy.