Naming a band is an act of concentrated creative expression. Square Pig in a Round Hole exists to reward five favorite band names each week. Winners are (usually) listed alphabetically.

Selection is wholly unscientific and subject to whim, with a bias toward wordplay, humor, and local flavor. In most cases, I won’t know anything about the bands at the time of selection. Thanks to the Seattle Times nightlife listings for abundant source material!

(Until live music returns, I am curating retrospective posts from past material. Dates indicate when the band was originally featured.)

SQUARE PIG IN A ROUND HOLE PANDEMIC EDITION #40

This afternoon, I’m taking part in Jolabokaflod 2020 (Christmas Book Flood), on a panel titled “Writing YA in a World of Identity, Sexuality, and Violence: How Much Is Too Much?” Watch the livestream at 1:30 p.m. Pacific here (or watch it later at your leisure). There is a whole playlist at the link of other panels and presentations happening today and tomorrow. I hope you’ll check it out!

Meanwhile, I have a few Rocky and Bullwinkle themed band names left, plus a few that comment on the weather we’re expecting this weekend.  As ever, wash your hands, wear your mask, and if you are able, please buy these bands’ music and merch while we wait for a better day.

Buckets of Rain
Downpour
(April 9, 2011) Considering our recent weather, Downpour and Buckets of Rain obviously go together as well as fulfilling the local flavor criterion.

Dies Drear
(January 21, 2012) This is perfect for Seattle in winter: not Dies Irae (Day of Wrath), but Dies Drear (Day of Low Clouds with Chance of Rain or Rain/Snow Mix and Dark by 5:00 P.M.). The aural pun secures it a place on the list.

Moose Almighty
(January 20, 2019) Evokes Bullwinkle, and is also a better clean swear than the movie title it’s based on.

Moose Light Kingdom
(April 16, 2016) I doubt I have ever passed up a band name with “moose” in it. In this case, I imagine the Man in the Moon has been replaced by Bullwinkle.

Moose Portrait
(September 23, 2012) I think I saw this on Facebook last week. I wondered, “Where is squirrel?”

One last thing before you go: I share highlights from this blog in my quarterly author newsletter, The Storypunk Report, as well as news of what I’m writing and reading, upcoming events, and other goodies, including “Wizard in the Mosh Pit,” an exclusive short story just for subscribers. Click the link to check out the first eight issues and subscribe here for future issues. (Or just follow the blog for your weekly dose of band names.)