As the only hard rock outfit in Ames, Seasons Calling is already a standout in the city’s growing music scene.

Now, with the addition of another guitarist and nearly a full semester of practice, the quartet is ready to scratch into the mark they made on Ames nearly a year ago.

According to lead singer and guitarist Brian Calek, Seasons Calling has developed a stronger sound since the recording of Six Months, the band’s first E.P.

“Before going into the studio, you don’t really know what to expect,” Calek said. “But you get used to it. We can breathe a little easier now.”

After doing a lot of overlaying on the disc, Calek and the rest of the band decided to go for that fuller sound on stage and add another guitarist to their line-up.

The then trio tried out a number of guitarists before settling on Iowa Falls native Kyle Christiansen.

“We’ve spent the last couple months working in the new member,” Calek said. “It takes a lot of pressure off me.”

Although Calek handled both singing and guitar for the band, he said that Seasons Calling never put the focus on just one guy.

“We switch around a lot,” he said. “The responsibility’s not always on one person. It gives the show a different feel and it’s more fun to watch that way.”

Part of the fun for Calek has been watching the development of his brother Chad, who just began taking music seriously a year ago.

“I sat down and taught him guitar a year ago,” Calek said. “Now he knows what he’s doing and comes up with some of the songs himself.”

Calek added that music has always been “the biggest thing” within he and his brother’s relationship.

“He’s always the first one I talk to when something new comes out or someone new comes through town,” Calek said of the younger.

“Our parents are real supportive,” he added. “They come see us play in Ames, they come see us in Omaha, they’ll come see us in Kansas City. My dad’s a beer drinker, so he loves coming out.”

Calek also noted that it was Chad who came up with the name Seasons Calling.

“I didn’t know if I liked it at first, but once he explained it, I liked it,” Calek said. “He explained how everyone had some sort of calling in life that they always went back to. “Life’s kind of a pattern in that you fade from your calling for a while, but always come back to it. Just like the seasons always change.”

When the season changes this spring, Seasons Calling plans to embark on a five-state tour with the Kansas City hardcore act, Primal Order.

Calek sent the disc to the band a while back and just recently got the invitation to join their tour.

“I was really pumped when I got that call,” he said. “It was like 11 at night and I was just sitting around doing nothing. They really liked the disc so that was cool.”

Seasons Calling also plans on getting back in the studio in March and possibly recording a seven or eight track disc. Until then, they will hit the Ames circuit as hard as they can.

Calek said he felt the opening of People’s Theater should give the band a better chance at opening for national acts.

“When a band like Filter comes to Peoples, they always sell out,” he explained. “So there’s no need to have a local opener that just takes away tickets from the headliner’s fans. Hopefully, this place will be big enough to avoid that.”

Seasons Calling is opening up for Skrid of Iowa City at The Long Shot on Saturday. Admission is $3 at the door for the 10 p.m. show. “We like the atmosphere there,” Calek said. “It’s kind of weird being right in everyone’s face.

“When we first played there we were afraid that we would freak people out, jumping all around and spilling their drinks. But it’s been a lot of fun.”