A concert by Vancouver indie band The New Pornographers was cancelled by a Christian college in Grand Rapids, Mich., despite the college's admiration for the band's music. (Last Gang Entertainment)

A Christian college in Grand Rapids, Mich., has cancelled a scheduled concert by Canadian indie band The New Pornographers because of the band's name.

The Vancouver-based band's website announced the cancellation Wednesday.

Calvin College rescinded an invitation to the band to play on Oct. 15 after weeks of discussion, the college said in a statement. The statement said the college found it difficult to explain the band's name.

"The band's name, to some, is mistakenly associated with pornography," the statement said. "Consequently, Calvin, to some, was mistakenly associated with pornography. Neither the college nor the band endorses pornography."

The college said the New Pornographers "makes good, thoughtful music, and we invited them here based on their artistic merit." It expressed regret at the cancellation.

There are various stories about how the band got its name. Singer Carl Newman said he had been fascinated with the New Wave Japanese film The Pornographers before the band formed in 1997 and the name is a reference to that.

But writers have often assumed that it refers to televangelist Jimmy Swaggart's statement that rock and roll music is "the new pornography."