A brief but admittedly sweaty 75 minute set marked the last night of Queens of the Stone Age Era Vulgaris UK Tour on a miserable, wet Tuesday in Reading.

Kicking off with Sick Sick Sick and Feel Good Hit of the Summer, QOTSA’s initial promise of a raucous night of heavy rock peaked and dipped throughout the set.

Aside from the hardcore contingency packed into the moshpit, the band were often remote from the crowd. Attentions were wandering (both to the bar and mobile phones) during the sprawling mid section of In The Fade and Turnin’ On The Screw but were soon brought round when the unmistakable intro of Hangin’ Tree roared into action.

Although the imposing Josh Homme has more presence than most men in rock, QOTSA are not a band to drive their agenda on a personality factor. The talent and tightness of his band - drummer Joey Castillo, guitarist Troy Van Leeuwen and recent recruit, bassist Michael Shuman - is unquestionable. Highlights included Little Sister, Burn the Witch, and the incredible Make It Wit U. However, the night lacked a longed for punch in the guts served up in the past by the Homme/Oliveri partnership, or perhaps we’ve just been too spoilt with the on-off injection of charisma loaned by Dave Grohl and his multiple stints on drums.

Closing the night with a two song encore of fan favourites Lost Art of Keeping A Secret and Go With The Flow, the West Coast rockers were ready to get the hell out of rainy Reading and leg it back home to the sunny Californian Palm Desert. Let’s face it, who could blame them?

Ali Rees