Don’t be surprised if, as the new year unfolds, you catch the ambitious and the talented making moves all over town. Take note — you’re going to see more limited edition CD-Rs, cassette tapes, concept shows, all-ages shows and other music-inspired mischief than you can pump a fist at. I’m sure you’re already aware, faithful show-goer, of a number of Calgary-bred events this month (like the High Performance Rodeo, CJSW’s 25th anniversary bash and a new album from Woodpigeon), but for the weird and the wonderful that doesn’t typically make the front pages, keep your eyes peeled every month for the 411.

This year’s first band to watch is noisy garage-pop three-piece Grown-Ups. With all of the barreling force of Jay Reatard (R.I.P.), the playfulness of the Minutemen and a dash of hardcore sensibility, the trio has been soaking audiences with its unique brand of punk rock since last spring. You may have already spotted the band last summer alongside Vancouver’s noise-rock echelon with bands like Nu Sensae and Shearing Pinx, as well as other local hotshots like Sharp Ends, but according to guitarist Josiah Hughes, the band isn’t looking to take over, but, rather, to learn its instruments.

"Since Sarah (Hughes, drummer) and I got married, she’s always wanted to learn how to play drums,” he says. “So we started a band partially as a way for her to learn, and to also play some shows, just because it’s what we love doing.”

Armed with catchy tunes and a setup that features a fuzzed-out baritone guitar in place of bass, Grown-Ups should feel right at home alongside Sled Island 2009’s wild ones Monotonix at Broken City on Wednesday, January 20.

Flying even deeper into uncharted territory, Olympic Billiards will (perhaps unwittingly) host an evening of razor-sharp hardcore and mind-gouging metal as Warbird and Bat Country take the stage on January 16. Self-described as sounding like “a hailstorm of broken glass,” and listing “destruction” as its only influence, Warbird should make the atmosphere over at Olympic about as light and sunny as a tar pit. Gnarly!

Saturday, January 23 will see Beija Flor frontman Stephen van Kampen reach out to audiences with a folkier hand, as his solo project Savk lands at the Marquee Room. According to his MySpace page, though Beija Flor is still at the top of the pile, van Kampen has a softer side, and to hear it you’re going to have to get up and close and personal. Neil Young nodders and November’s 411 feature band, Deadhorse, will be there to support.

Yet another unsung young band of bright lights will come to your door on January 28 at an all-ages show at the House of Commons. Splashing around in such musical puddles as dark folk, art-rock, indie-pop, punk and post-hardcore, Whale Mountain (which has also been billed as Black Death Boners, Rape’s Revenge, Chanson de Chats and Get Through Summer) will expand the usual roster of Keaton Pridham and Andrew Giles to a full band. Expect something brooding and epic.

Finally, at the dawn of February, the newly re-minted Republik will see weirdo avant-pop three-piece Friendo headline an evening of equally off-kilter and experimental music with Labcoats (featuring the one-two punch of Chris Dadge and Scott Munro of Bent Spoon Trio, Ghostkeeper, Thighs and about 400 other projects) and the unhinged growling of indie-rock band Bikeland.

Though you will undoubtedly see this column dig deeper and deeper into the strange soil of Calgary’s music scene every month, if you’ve caught wind of something truly shocking and bizarre afoot in Calgary’s music scene, or just if you think it might be fun show, don’t hesitate to drop old Dane a hint at daneswanson411@gmail.com.