Events in South East Asia also saw the cancellation of another concert due to be held in Bangkok over the weekend. The Bangkok 100 Rock Festival, scheduled for 29 and 30 November in the Thai city, was to have featured appearances by Manic Street Preachers, Ash and US band Hoobastank. The announcement follows demonstrations at Bangkok's international and domestic airports that have created travel chaos for thousands.
Festive News - In The Bleak Midwinter has been named the best Christmas carol in a poll of some of the world's leading choirmasters and choral experts. The song came out top in the BBC Music magazine poll above well-known carols Silent Night, Ding Dong Merrily on High and Once in Royal David's City. Pearsall's 1837 arrangement of In Dulci Jubilo and Herbert Howell's A Spotless Rose were voted second and third. "While some of the carols nominated may seem unfamiliar, does any other song get to the very heart of Christmas as understatedly but effectively as In the Bleak Midwinter?" said Jeremy Pound, deputy editor ofBBC Music Magazine.
Festival News - Glastonbury founder Michael Eavis says the music festival will never lose its licence because it has become too important to the local economy. "The local economy gets £100m a year," he told Radio 4's Desert Island Discs. "So there's no discussion about not allowing the festival a licence any more. They won't stop it now." Glastonbury was last refused a licence in 2002 after surrounding villages raised concerns about crime. The decision was later overturned. In 2007, Mendip District Council in Somerset agreed to a four-year licence, which secured the event's future until 2010.
Crime Watch - Five people have been arrested in London in connection with a company selling festival tickets which went into liquidation in August. The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) is also launching an investigation into Xclusive Tickets, and is making a direct appeal for the public's help. They would like people who bought tickets from the site but did not receive them to get in touch. The five people were questioned and later released on unconditional bail.
Reunion News - Cliff Richard and The Shadows are to reunite for an arena tour in 2009 to celebrate their 50th anniversary. They dominated the charts in the late 1950s and 1960s and notched up 19 number one hits between them.
(Jim Evans)
