Gray and rainy -- that's the Seattle June we know and love. But if it's getting you down, these band names will pick you right up:
Dirty Neon
I'm not sure you could get more perfect for an opening act at the Blue Moon. Classic and grimy all in one.
Eyelids
Removing a body part from context imbues it with equal parts comedy and horror.
If Penguins Could Fly
. . . orcas would have to invent surface-to-air missiles.
Scars on 45
Does anyone younger than me even get the pun? This cleverly subverts and darkens the sunny disco-ized medley of '60s pop hits.
Vienna Bass Choir
One word makes all the difference. Whether low strings or fish, you couldn't get much further from little boys singing sacred choral music.
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 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 club listings for abundant source material!
Saturday, June 28, 2014
Saturday, June 21, 2014
June 21, 2014
School's out and summer's here, looking like summer already, for a change. Just for that, I think I will actually go to the Solstice Festival in Fremont. Break out the sunglasses and SPF 50! But if you feel like hiding from the 10 p.m. sun in a dingy bar somewhere, here are some names to look for:
AlcoJuana
The next logical step in trendy, herb-infused booze. We call it Weedka.
The Aqua-Nets
Before I even check, I really hope this is an '80s-themed girl group because that would be perfect. One word that sums up an era. (OK, '80s cover band is pretty good, too).
Captain Algebra
A hero for those unfortunate students striving in summer school to make up a math credit.
It's OK!
I can't speak for anyone else, but I feel better. The punctuation really helps.
Puget Power
I love it when an existing name for something mundane takes on new significance when applied unchanged to a musical endeavor. Loud music draws a lot of power and has a lot of power, so this is a great fit. Extra points for local flavor.
AlcoJuana
The next logical step in trendy, herb-infused booze. We call it Weedka.
The Aqua-Nets
Before I even check, I really hope this is an '80s-themed girl group because that would be perfect. One word that sums up an era. (OK, '80s cover band is pretty good, too).
Captain Algebra
A hero for those unfortunate students striving in summer school to make up a math credit.
It's OK!
I can't speak for anyone else, but I feel better. The punctuation really helps.
Puget Power
I love it when an existing name for something mundane takes on new significance when applied unchanged to a musical endeavor. Loud music draws a lot of power and has a lot of power, so this is a great fit. Extra points for local flavor.
Saturday, June 14, 2014
June 14, 2014
Last week I predicted that the nice weather would last until the kids were out of school. Although grades K-11 still have a few more days, our senior graduated Thursday, and the rain showed up soon after the ceremony. That's Junuary for you; I just hope we don't have to turn the heat back on!
On with the band names:
Gnarlene and the Frisky Pigs
I'm always on the lookout for creative use of the classic X and the Y structure. This combines an over-the-top front person's name with an active and comical backing band name. These people are having all the fun.
Grand Theft Zombie
Great pop-culture mashup. The video game reference also perfectly suits the style of music.
Tropical Popsicle
I never noticed that these two words rhyme, and now it seems so obvious. Plus, I see frozen treats in bright summery colors.
A Very Tall Pony
At what point do we cross over from tall pony to short horse? I'll bet there's a rule.
The World Is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die
It's been awhile since I got to celebrate a really long name, so I was happy to find one so absurdly extravagant as this heroic and positive assertion. I love the two independent clauses, joined by an ampersand, as if after all that they needed to save two characters.
On with the band names:
Gnarlene and the Frisky Pigs
I'm always on the lookout for creative use of the classic X and the Y structure. This combines an over-the-top front person's name with an active and comical backing band name. These people are having all the fun.
Grand Theft Zombie
Great pop-culture mashup. The video game reference also perfectly suits the style of music.
Tropical Popsicle
I never noticed that these two words rhyme, and now it seems so obvious. Plus, I see frozen treats in bright summery colors.
A Very Tall Pony
At what point do we cross over from tall pony to short horse? I'll bet there's a rule.
The World Is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die
It's been awhile since I got to celebrate a really long name, so I was happy to find one so absurdly extravagant as this heroic and positive assertion. I love the two independent clauses, joined by an ampersand, as if after all that they needed to save two characters.
Saturday, June 7, 2014
June 7, 2014
"I thought it was supposed to be June," I said. "What's with all the sunshine?" Then I remembered -- kids are still in school. Junuary will probably arrive just in time for summer break. (My resident Seattle schools student graduates next week -- the end of an era going back to 1996! He prefers not to go outside, anyway, so he might not even notice when the gloom descends.) If you're out on one of these long, beautiful evenings, be sure to come in off the patio to give the band some love.
This week's picks:
Humbucker
This would be a good name even if it had nothing to do with guitars. This collection of phonemes is fun to say, and "buck" provides a rootsy, rural vibe.
Rain Light Fade
And while we're on the subject of typical Seattle June weather, along comes this little poem. I'm thinking of that moment when an evening summer shower ends and the sun comes out just in time to set.
Sofistokits
The phonetic spelling shams a lack of sophistication and cleverly renders the word nearly unrecognizable until you sound it out.
Sun Tunnels
They belong on a bill with Subways on the Sun! I like this because I usually think of tunnels as dark, or anyway, cut off from natural light. This sounds like a bright trail through a deep forest.
tomorrows tulips
Planting tulip bulbs in the dark and damp of October is an act of faith that spring will come again, and the next spring, and the next.
This week's picks:
Humbucker
This would be a good name even if it had nothing to do with guitars. This collection of phonemes is fun to say, and "buck" provides a rootsy, rural vibe.
Rain Light Fade
And while we're on the subject of typical Seattle June weather, along comes this little poem. I'm thinking of that moment when an evening summer shower ends and the sun comes out just in time to set.
Sofistokits
The phonetic spelling shams a lack of sophistication and cleverly renders the word nearly unrecognizable until you sound it out.
Sun Tunnels
They belong on a bill with Subways on the Sun! I like this because I usually think of tunnels as dark, or anyway, cut off from natural light. This sounds like a bright trail through a deep forest.
tomorrows tulips
Planting tulip bulbs in the dark and damp of October is an act of faith that spring will come again, and the next spring, and the next.
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