Arts & Entertainment

Plainfield Teen to Perform at Bolingbrook 4th of July Celebration

Keegan Eich, 14, will take the stage with headliner Maggie Speaks on Wednesday night.

At just 14 years old, Keegan Eich has big dreams.

“He wants to be the next Justin Bieber,” dad Brian said. “He wants to be performing in front of sell-out crowds.”

He’ll get a taste of fame on Wednesday when he performs at with headliner Maggie Speaks.

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The band is set to take the stage at 7:45 p.m. at Bolingbrook Golf Club, 2001 Rodeo Dr., Bolingbrook.

Brian, owner of the complex in Plainfield, said he was approached by Maggie Speaks lead singer Dave Calzaretta, whose daughter plays volleyball at Eich’s.

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After seeing clips of the Plainfield teen on YouTube, Calzaretta invited him to peform with the band last week at Rotary GroveFest in Downers Grove.

But it wasn’t Keegan’s first turn in the spotlight.

According to his dad, the soon-to-be-freshman at performs regularly at ’s family nights, and has been singing since he was just a toddler.

“He was humming before he was talking,” Brian said, recalling an early glimpse of Keegan's musical talent. Just 5 years old, Keegan was in the kitchen with his parents as they put away groceries, Brian remembered.

“We had a Guns ‘N’ Roses song on,” he said. “[Keegan] has one of those little toy keyboards. By the time we had put the groceries away, he had figured out how to play the song.”

Keegan performs mostly pop music, and recently began writing his own songs.

“He’ll take a song and he’ll kind of twist it around to make it his,” said Brian. So far, the teen has recorded two of his own songs and just finished writing a third. Clips of his performances can be seen on YouTube.

The show at Bolingbrook Golf Club will be Keegan's largest venue to date.

“Last year, they had 8,000 people, and they’re anticipating 8,000 to 10,000 [this year],” Brian said.

The performance is scheduled to begin at 7:45 p.m. Wednesday, prior to the fireworks show.

The proud dad said Keegan has his sights set on a future in music, and even plans to audition for “American Idol” once he turns 15.


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