And it could have been a night to marimba...!

Viola d'Odio was mightily disappointed to discover that this week's performance of Steve Reich's Drumming at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, featuring a starry line-up of Britain's kings of hitting things at the right time and led by Colin Currie (not pictured), is sold out.



For many, Drumming is one of those pieces which, when heard for the first time, comes as a revelation, almost euphorically so. And its fans come from all kinds of musical traditions and backgrounds. So it's not that surprising that all the seats should have gone.

I suppose I can't really complain - c'est la vie and un reminder to have a little more foresight. But a couple of thoughts nag. Firstly, my attention was drawn to the event because it featured in the Guardian Guide's Preview section. Why preview an event which anybody without a ticket will be unable to attend having read the article?

Given the piece's cult popularity (if that's not a contradiction) and the illustriousness of the performers involved, the Southbank Centre has missed a trick in not programming more than one performance - my second irritation. It could have run for a week and sold out each night!