Dalai Lama

Authorities in China have decided to pull the plug on Bon Jovi’s first ever gigs in the country for “unforeseen reasons”, although some reports suggest that the last-minute decision has been taken because the band used an image of the Dalai Lama as a backdrop to their gig in Taiwan in 2010.

Bon Jovi was scheduled to perform two concerts in China next week, in Shanghai on Monday and Beijing on Thursday. No official reason has been offered as to why the authorities have intervened at such a late stage, but the Financial Times reported on Wednesday (September 9th) that the group’s use of a picture of the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader was the most likely reason behind the cancellation.

Jon Bon Jovi

Continue reading: China Mysteriously Cancels Bon Jovi Gigs

Festival goers may turn to hallucinogenic drugs or alcohol for mind altering experiences this summer but a peaceful group of Buddhist monks will help you seek enlightenment through meditation.

To coincide with the 100th anniversary of the Tibetan Declaration of Independence, the Dalai Lama's monks will make an appearance at Glastonbury, bringing their Buddhist choral chanting to the fields of Somerset.

On June 27th (the Thursday), the Grammy-nominated group will perform and carry out Buddhist rituals by creating a Sand Mandala - a ceremony that symbolises the transitory nature of material goods - in honour of their special anniversary's coincidence with the world-renowned arts and music festival.

Continue reading: Dalai Lama's Monks To Play Glastonbury

The Red Hot Chili Peppers are going to perform for the Dalai Lama. Now those are two phrases you don’t expect to see in one sentence, right? But the band will probably (hopefully) tone down their famous antics for the gig for His Holiness next month in Oregon.

The religious leader will be there for the Dalai Lama Environmental Summit. The summit’s site announced that on May 11th, the Peppers will give a special musical performance, in hopes of inspiring “future generations to care for our planet”. The show will take place at the Veterans’ Memorial Colliseum in the city. While His Holiness’s representatives have made the announcement, there has been no comment from the Peppers – presumably because they’re too busy touring, performing and, um, attending Coachella. But the band have long been vocal supporters of the Tibetan cause. According to the Summit’s official website: ”The musical element of this event is intended to be a display of joyful celebration and an inspiration to future generations to care for our planet. The Red Hot Chili Peppers have been great supporters of the Tibetan cause, of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and of the need to work to protect and preserve our environment.”

A good time, for a good cause, what could be better?

Continue reading: The Red Hot Chili Peppers Are Going Green With A Performance For The Dalai Lama