Minibeast at The Bug Jar | May 14, 2026

The Bug Jar holds 120 people. When the room is right and the band is locked in, that is exactly the right number. Minibeast is the kind of band that makes a 120-cap bar feel like the only room that matters on a Thursday night in Rochester.

The Providence trio is built around Peter Prescott — guitarist, keyboardist, and noise sculptor who cut his teeth with Mission of Burma and Volcano Suns. Alongside drummer Keith Seidel and bassist Pete Weiss, Minibeast plays what they call “liquid music, always moving.” That is not empty brand language. Treble Zine reviewed their January 2025 album The Maze of Now and called it “an entrancing form of fist-clenching space-rock from another universe.” Both descriptions hold up.

The band draws on krautrock propulsion, post-punk voltage, and the groove architecture of Can and Fela Kuti — then runs it through Prescott’s buzzsaw guitar and gruff wail. Seidel and Weiss lock into a groove and hold it while Prescott burns the edges with reverb-drenched hooks and electronic manipulation. The effect is hypnotic in a way that sneaks up on you.

The Bug Jar at 219 Monroe Ave is one of Rochester’s iconic punk and DIY rooms. Small room. Serious sound. At 120 capacity, it does not fight the music — it just amplifies it.

Age policy: 18+ with a limited number of advance tickets available for ages 18–20; 21+ at the door. Advance ticket cutoff is 12:30 PM the day of the show. At 120 people, do not sit on this one.

Doors: 7:00 PM. Show: 8:00 PM. Tickets: $12.30–$14.36. Get tickets at TicketWeb.