Canadian born singer/songwriter Lionel Lodge has had to cancel his gig in Swindon tomorrow.

Through a series of catastrophies Lionel, who was due to travel from Germany to play a number of dates in the UK, including the gig at the Beehive, Prospect Hill, in Old Town, Swindon, cannot come to England until November.

Lionel was bringing his friends and band mates Peter Beinhofer and bass player Joe Schirl to perform as a trio for around six or seven gigs in the UK but then disaster struck.

Lionel said: “A week before we were going to leave Peter had a heart attack, not a too serious one, but serious enough so he could not come to England. So Franz, the piano player in the band, who also plays great accordion, changed around his schedule and was going to step in for Peter.

"Then two days before we were to leave Joe slipped on a stage, fell off and ripped ligaments in his leg. So he could not come!’’

Swindon’s own drummer and percussionist Brendan Hamley offered to step in so the gig was back on again.

But fate seemed set against the trip to England as lightning struck again this time causing transport problems.

Lionel said: “Okay we were back on! Sunday morning Franz and I got in my fairly new Volvo which has given us no troubles at all. We got on the motorway but when I put the car into top gear for motorway cruising the clutch went! Boom, gone!’’

The musicians took the car into the garage explaining the urgency to get it fixed and the mechanic promised to do his best.

"Today was the deadline for being able to leave in time.,’’ said Lionel.

“This morning they called and said the parts had not come, that they would come tomorrow. Now we are faced with the reality that we just can not do this, there is no way we can get there in time.

“We are very bummed over this.’’

The musician and his band are trying to rearrange dates and gig to come over before Christmas and hopefully play the Beehive then.