Talking of cancelling things, communication glitches have been blamed for the last minute cancellation of the second annual World Peace Music Awards, which were due to take place in Vietnam today. Lionel Richie, Gloria Gaynor, Hootie and the Blowfish and the Black Eyed Peas were among the artists scheduled to play at the charity event at Hanoi's My Dinh National Stadium, which aimed to celebrate those musicians who have promoted peace, including the likes of Bob Dylan, Joan Baez and Peter, Paul and Mary who became famous for their protest songs during the Vietman War.
Confirming the cancellation, the show's executive producer Matt Taylor said he had to pull the show because of "completely unforeseen and insurmountable circumstances". When asked for more information it was explained that the loss of internet access in Vietnam for the period of a week earlier this month (caused when an underwater cable was damaged) meant key communication between event organisers and sponsors, ticket agents and production management companies fell to pieces, putting event planning into chaos.
Taylor said he was now hoping to reschedule a scaled down version of the show for mid-Sep, although Vietnam's Ministry of Culture and Information which backed the event implied that, with other major events taking place in Hanoi that month, they might not back that plan.