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 and The Stranger nightlife listings for abundant source material!

 

Square Pig in a Round Hole was launched upon the world on this very date in 2010! Read the first post here. This anniversary seems like an auspicious date to return to posting new material, after 84 consecutive weeks of retrospectives. The Seattle Times is not yet running nightlife listings, so I went foraging in The Stranger and found enough to work with. I also noticed one of the featured bands of that historic debut post, All Time Low, has a gig this week!

As ever, and especially if you’re going out to shows again, wash your hands, wear your mask, get your vaccine if you haven’t already, and if you are able, please buy these bands’ music and merch while we wait for even better days.

Battlestar Kalakala
The pickings seemed slim, but then I saw this one and knew I had to forge ahead! This is a brilliant mashup of a sci-fi show I loved in my youth and a futuristic local icon of the past. It would make a beautiful spaceship.

Cedar Teeth
Locally sourced, durable and rot-resistant, repels moths from your mouth.

The High Seagrass
I like how it crosses from adventurous location to important marine habitat, with maybe a sly reference to an old nickname for something (now legal) to get us high.

Ice Cream Cult
I can think of worse things to worship. Ice cream makes everything better. (Also sometimes stylized as Icecreamcult.)

Left to Suffer
… right to stagnate, straight ahead to thrive.

Two last things before you go:

1. I am admin for The Rage Brigade, a Facebook group for conversation about fantasy, science fiction, superheroes, and music (and the intersections thereof). If that sounds like fun, come join us here.
2. 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 eleven issues and subscribe here for future issues. (Or just follow the blog for your weekly dose of band names.)