Sugar Rush, an all-female pop band from Orland Park, won the regional Teen Battle of the Bands competition held in Forest Park July 20. They move on to the state competition in Springfield Aug. 17, said Park District of Forest Park intern Annie Hanrahan.
According to the band’s website, band members met through the House of Music school in Orland Park.
According to the band bios on their website, one of the singers, Jamie Rago, 14, was born profoundly deaf in one ear and moderately deaf in the other. With hearing aids she is able to hear herself play guitar and sing. Rago and drummer Payton Orozco, 14, are original members of the band. Jane Folliard, 14, and Therese Bueno, 16, joined in 2011.
Something’s Not Right, from Homewood-Flossmoor came in second place by one point, Hanrahan said. Third place winners were Far Sighted, from Brookfield.
It Came from Berwyn, from Oak Park and The Set Back from Collinsville also participated.
Three area music experts judged the competition. Forest Park’s Conrad Javier performs in pop-punk band MyAlumni and his high school band made it to the state level in the battle of the bands back in the day. Riverside’s Chrissy Igoe has worked in the recording industry for many years and Ryan Russ of Forest Park was keyboardist for the band S.O.L. and worked for many years with Forest Park’s Circle Theater.
