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 listings return, I am curating retrospective posts from past material. Dates indicate when the band was originally featured.)
SQUARE PIG IN A ROUND HOLE PANDEMIC EDITION #78
It is raining in Seattle! This shouldn’t be news, but here we are. I welcome the rain this weekend, though I hope the forecast of a dry Monday comes true because we want to go hiking. In that spirit, the band-name theme for the next two weeks revolves around the great outdoors. Once again, I have 12 candidates, so there will be a bonus band each week. You’re welcome.
As ever, wash your hands, wear your mask again, get your vaccine if you haven’t already, and if you are able, please buy these bands’ music and merch while we wait for a better day.
Be Forest
(March 23, 2019) A gentle command to be one with nature, this also sounds like a superlative preposition denoting a point earlier than which one cannot go.
Bears and Other Carnivores
(October 17, 2015) Apparently I’m not the only one to notice that titles of field guides make great band names. (I would love to see a band called Squirrels of the West.) There’s something a little (endearingly) off about using a name that evokes the outdoors, nature, and wilderness for a group that’s probably going to mostly play in dingy urban bars.
Bigger Than Mountains
(March 3, 2018) Oceans. Planets. The sky.
The Bitter Roots
(November 27, 2010) Whether the mountain range or the wild plant, this name evokes a distinct corner of the planet that means a lot to me, so it makes the list.
The Brook & the Bluff
(March 16, 2019) Scenic natural features reminding us that outdoors is a thing and it might be warm enough to go there. Don’t fall in and don’t fall off.
Cedar Sap
(November 2, 2019) Sibilance and local flavor, sticky and resinous.
Two last things before you go:
- 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.
- 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 ten issues and subscribe here for future issues. The July 2021 issue includes an excerpt from Barbara and the Rage Brigade. Who knows what might turn up in the October issue! (Or just follow the blog for your weekly dose of band names.)
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.
Karen Eisenbrey 