Here’s a hot tip. If there is a sold out gig at @ Newtown – get there early and stand your ground. It might sound like an obvious statement for any such gig, but this venue can be especially awkward if it’s packed. Fighting for your own piece of retro carpet almost distracts for the reason why you are there in the first place. Ah, that’s right, we are here to check out the Howling Bells.

The band made up of a number of members of Waikiki, shed their former identity when they headed to London in 2004 for a musical makeover. The band wanted to break away from their “straight and narrow” approach to song writing and challenge themselves. A change of environment was a fresh a start as any.

Returning two years later with a new name, look and most importantly – sound, Howling Bells are ready to share with us what they learnt while they were away. Their self-titled album was recorded with renowned Coldplay producer, Ken Nelson and has been warmly received in the UK. But how will the Aussie crowd respond? I’m about to find out…

The Bells are received like old friends. There is a sense of familiarity in the air shrouded with anticipation. It’s been so long. Will I recognize them? Will we still have anything in common? They hit the stage with a roar. They’ve got grunt. This doesn’t sound like Waikiki.The mood settles after the first two songs as the tempo is brought down a notch. Lead singer Juanita Stein’s voice is almost as memorising as her 80s inspired boofy hair do. The crowd sways along, it’s not enough to get our hips moving but enough to keep our attention on the stage.

The other member of the Stein clan, Juanita’s brother Joel, doesn’t go unnoticed on guitar – which doesn’t sound as poppy as the Waikiki days and the bassist catches my eye, if only for his sparkling silver vest. Juanita’s voice exudes the pain of heartache in A Ballad of the Bleeding Hearts when she cries “I will scream just to get you to hold me down”, one can’t help but be engulfed by the desperation she is singing about. Scanning the crowded room, everyone seems to be in a kind of trance. There’s no doubt that their acid-folk sound is unique. Great if you’re chilling out at home, but standing on a little piece of retro carpet after an hour – it is getting a bit tiresome. We swagger along to Broken Bones and the garage blues of Low Happening. A highlight of the show is the cover of Dolly Parton’s False Eyelashes. It creates a kind of stir amongst the crowd – of the good kind. The melancholic single Velvet Girl is received like a treat and the punters seem quite satisfied that they can sing along. The mood has lifted by the close of the set and the crowds seems content when filing down the stairs – back to reality and the hectic street sounds of the inner west of Sydney.

Yeah, it’s been a while. Things have changed. But like any old friend, Howling Bells may just take a while to warm to. I will definitely be paying more attention to their album and might even fight for my piece of ground next time they come to town.

Check out the photos from the gig here and here