Willowbrook student to perform during inaugural community event, Villa Fest

On Aug. 22, Willowbrook’s Shea Downer (pictured above, class of 2027) will perform during Villa Fest, a new community celebration that will feature entertainment, live music, food and more. The event will take place at Ardmore Avenue and Park Boulevard in Villa Park, and this year’s theme is “All Roads Lead to Villa Park.” For more information, go to https://www.invillapark.com/777/Villa-Fest.

Downer will serve as lead vocalist with her father’s band, Rhythm Rockets, and the group will perform from 3:05 to 4:20 p.m.

Downer has been involved with music and theatre since grade school and has been part of Willowbrook’s vocal jazz group (CenterStage), theatre program and orchestra (cello), as well as Saint Genesius Productions (a 501c(3) organization, building leadership and community through the theatre arts). She also had the opportunity to perform with Willowbrook alumnus Tom Higgenson and his multi-platinum, Grammy-nominated band Plain White T’s during a concert this past February at the school, where Downer and three other students played “Hey There Delilah.”

Rhythm Rockets was formed in 1996 by Downer’s father, Dave, who graduated from Willowbrook in 1980. The band’s repertoire consists of postwar jazz and rhythm and blues from the 1940s and 1950s. It consists of three saxophones, drums, acoustic bass, guitar and Downer as the front person. The band has self-produced five albums, performed more than 2,500 shows throughout the country and had four original songs on the FOX sitcom “The Tick.” For more details, go to www.therhythmrockets.com.