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 #79

The outdoorsy theme continues with a second collection of six band names–yes, a bonus name! I’m feeling generous because we did get to take our planned hike last Monday, in spite of a stormy weekend and some minor car trouble. (Minor in that it did not keep us from getting to our trailhead and did not keep us from getting home. It did cost money to fix, but not as much as we feared.) We should have a few more of these sunny fall days, so get out and enjoy them while you can!

As ever, 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 a better day.

Coho Mountain String Ticklers
(January 13, 2013) “Tickle” is the perfect verb for how bluegrass players get sound out of their instruments, and also how this name affected me.

Dead Leaf Echo
(September 26, 2015) Perfect for autumn. If a leaf falls in the forest, does it make a sound, and does the sound have reverb? (A quick listen answers “yes.”)

Neither Bears nor Forest
(June 22, 2019) Weirdly poetic turn of phrase for something that isn’t what it purports to be.

Night Hikes
(January 12, 2019) Probably not a popular winter activity, though it gets dark so early, you could have your walk in the woods and get back to town before the first band finishes sound check.

Nonchalant Avalanche
(April 16, 2016) Slides down the mountain without a care in the world, elegant in n and ch sounds.

Pebble n the Crick
(July 29, 2017) Charming variation on classic X and the Y structure, made more so by the folksy phonetic spelling of creek. If that weren’t enough, the name implies frontperson and backing band but it’s a duo, my favorite size combo.

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 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.)