Did you ever have dreams of being a rock star when you were in elementary school? Unfortunately, most kids just don’t have the means to make it happen at such a young age. However, local rock group JAR hopes to give kids some serious inspiration.

JAR is a garage band from Kenmore fronted by bassist, keyboard player and 16-year-old vocalist Alex Adams. A few years ago, he met brothers John, 11, and Russ Thornburg, 15, a phenomenally talented duo with more stage presence than any indie band to come out of Seattle in a long time.

“At first, I didn’t intend for JAR to be a serious project, but after playing our first gig, I felt a real connection with the band and decided to continue,” Adams said.

He recently quit another group he had been involved with Manic Highway and has since been working with JAR as much as possible.

“We played our first gig last May, and we’ve steadily been playing out more and more since that first show at the LAB,” Adams said.

At such a young age, it is no surprise that John impresses every member of the audience at JAR shows, treating the drum set like some sort of glorified punching bag. He has his stage show down: standing on the floor toms, throwing his sticks all over the place and tearing up the stage.

The group also has a soft spot for philanthropy. When a friend became terminally ill, the boys organized a fundraiser at a local Eastside teen center.

“We raised $2,000 for Austin, and that’s not counting bank donations. The show was a huge success,” John Thornburg said.

Although John Thornburg’s drumming can often steal the show, the real secret weapon is his brother, Russ who channels his inner Angus Young every time he picks up the guitar. Donning his signature red, dragon-printed, short-sleeved Hawaiian shirt, Russ leaps and struts about the stage like a true professional.

“I’m a huge fan of bands like Led Zeppelin and the Jimi Hendrix Experience and I’m doing my best to rock out like a guitar god on stage” Russ Thornburg said.

At a typical JAR show, the lights turn down to near darkness. Adams enters the stage and makes his way to the sci-fi looking keyboard on his end of the stage. Synthesized strings chime in on the PA overhead and the din becomes louder and louder until it is nearly unbearable. And then: silence. Suddenly, John’s drumming can be heard, with a beat setting the stage for the rest of the show. The lights come on and the whole band begins to rock out together.

The three are a tight-knit group, and it would be only natural that we end up seeing these kids on MTV in a few years.

[Reach reporter Guy Keltner at arts@thedaily.washington.edu.]