There is a particular smell the Bug Jar gets on a packed weeknight. Old wood, spilled beer, and anticipation. The kind of atmosphere that you cannot manufacture and cannot fake. On March 26, 2026, Ellaar, Brood X, and The Evil Things are taking over Rochester’s favorite dive for a three-band bill that is built for people who like their music dark, loud, and played by people who mean it.
About Ellaar, Brood X, and The Evil Things
This is a triple bill of underground heaviness that covers serious ground. Three bands, each bringing their own flavor of aggression to a stage that can barely contain them on a good night. Ellaar delivers a punishing heaviness, Brood X adds their own brand of fury, and The Evil Things round out the bill with a name that tells you exactly what you are in for. If you are the kind of person who digs into local and regional heavy music scenes looking for the next band that is going to blow your mind, this lineup is designed specifically for you. The Evil Things alone are worth the price of admission, and stacking two more acts on top turns a solid Thursday night into a genuinely stacked bill.
The Venue
The Bug Jar has been Rochester’s underground music hub for decades, and it has earned that reputation one sweat-soaked show at a time. The room holds about 120 the stage is practically on the floor, and the PA system hits harder than you would expect for a place this small. For heavy, abrasive music, there is genuinely nowhere better in the Finger Lakes. The low ceiling traps the sound and forces it right through your chest cavity. You do not watch a show at the Bug Jar. You survive it. And you come back for more, because there is nothing else like it within a hundred miles.
Tickets & Details
Doors open at 8:00 PM on Thursday, March 26, 2026. Tickets are $12 to $18, which is absurdly cheap for three bands in a room this good. At that price point, you are paying roughly four to six dollars per band, which makes this one of the best values on the Upstate concert calendar this week. Get tickets now. At that price, there is zero reason to stay home.
Three bands for under twenty bucks in a room where you can feel the kick drum in your sternum. That is what live music is supposed to be. No bells, no whistles, just volume and conviction in a Rochester institution. If you are within driving distance, you should be there. Thursday night plans are officially settled.