Those who still complain that there’s nothing to do in Singapore obviously haven’t been looking in the right places. It’s only the beginning of the year, and already the events calendar is filling up fast.

Especially if you’re a music-lover — you will be spoilt for choice with a slew of music performances that will guarantee something for everybody.

BIG SHOWS

Where do we start with this one? Well, there’s Taiwan’s biggest female pop singer A-Mei taking the stage on Jan 9; Finnish symphonic power metal band Nightwish (Jan 18), who’ll no doubt thrill fans with their music and outfits; American rockers Walk The Moon (Jan 19), who will be performing under the stars at Fort Canning Green; and British outfit The Vamps (Jan 26), who captivated fans with hits such as Can We Dance, Wild Heart and Last Night.

But of course, the big gig of the month has to be the Singapore edition of the popular St. Jerome’s Laneway Festival (http://singapore.lanewayfestival.com/) on Jan 30. Held at The Meadow at Gardens By The Bay, this year’s line-up includes some of the biggest indie names, including Riot !n Magenta, who will once again share the bill with Chvrches, for whom they opened in 2014. Said Riot’s Sulaiman Supian about that gig: “We had to think about song arrangements and did some pretty spontaneous things such as asking Ritz (Ang, drummer) to take off his T-shirt!”

Whether they’ll be doing that again is anybody’s guess, but considering that the line-up includes Cashew Chemists, Grimes, Battles, The 1975 and many more, it’s fair to say they’ll be upping their game.

INDULGING IN THE CLASSICS

Meanwhile, the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, is celebrating its 37th anniversary and it is presenting some notable weekend concerts. One is the concert by award-winning twin pianists-composers, Low Shao Suan and Low Shao Ying. Called Music Diaries, this gig features their original works for solo piano and chamber music of various styles, ranging from neo-classical and romantic to film music, New Age and jazz.

The birthday concert on Jan 29 will feature Strauss’ Ein Heldenleben (“A Hero’s Life”), which has been called “a monstrous act of egotism” (because the subject of the piece was the composer himself). However, what’s interesting is the opening piece — music by 18-year-old Singaporean composer Koh Cheng Jin, who is studying at the Juilliard School.

For classical music with a twist, the Cheng San Chinese Orchestra will present Songs Of Those Years, a performance of Chinese pop songs done classical style on Jan 10. The music includes hits by the multi-talented Jay Chou, as well as Singapore’s very own pop princess Stefanie Sun — and yes, you can sing along if you want. The best bit? It’s free.

SEE FOR FREE

Speaking of free concerts — and who doesn’t love a freebie? — the Esplanade’s (http://www.esplanade.com) popular free gigs at the Concourse will continue to feature more homegrown talent. For our money — although these shows are technically free — the more interesting acts to catch include Didge Vibrations, a fusion band fronted by Kyle Ravin that combines a live magic performance with music made by the didgeridoo and Indian classical rhythms (Jan 9); Specific Islander (Jan 26), a band that set up their Facebook account only this week, but offer a variety of musical styles (sometimes all in one song); and Anise, a female singer-songwriter whose baroque-pop approach to acoustic folk structures and decidedly socio-political lyrics sets her apart from her peers (Jan 29).

Over at Artistry Cafe, the Stagefright series returns on Jan 13, featuring six up-and-coming acts, including Mt. Spencer, Skye Soon and Wan from Oligarchy. “There (is) some promise contained in the songs that makes it worthwhile to put the artistes on a stage,” said Kevin Mathews, the curator of StageFright, adding that for the audience, the “joy of discovery” was the main takeaway.

JAZZ IN THE SCENE

For jazz lovers who can’t wait until the Singapore International Jazz Festival in March, you’ll want to head on to the SingJazz Club at Jalan Sultan (https://www.facebook.com/singjazzclub). That’s where you’ll find some of Singapore’s top talent (and some international ones too) taking centre stage.

On Friday (Jan 8) for example, Hungarian saxophonist Tony Lakatos and Singaporean pianist Jeremy Monteiro will strut their stuff, along with singer Melissa Tham. Other performers slated for January include Brazilian singer Juliana Da Silva (Jan 9); Indonesia’s Nita Aartsen (Jan 13), the Havana Social Club (Jan 15) and James Flynn (Jan 29 and 30).

Meanwhile, at the Esplanade’s Outdoor Theatre, jazzy things are happening with fresh young faces in the jazz scene showcasing their talent. Eight-piece ensemble Octaves (Jan 15, 8pm, Esplanade Outdoor Theatre), for example, showcase their interpretation of Cole Porter and George Gershwin; while Jive Collective (Jan 22, 8pm, Esplanade Outdoor Theatre) offers unique blends based on influences that range from Sarah Vaughan to Keith Jarrett and Katchafire.

Consider January’s line-up as a trailer for greater things to come this year — and we’re not just talking about Madonna’s concert next month. Could her show be the gig of the year? Only time will tell. Meanwhile, it’s time to get your gig face on.