The Sidekicks
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The Sidekicks

Palm Beach, Florida, United States | SELF

Palm Beach, Florida, United States | SELF
Band Rock Alternative

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""SIDEKICKS WOW THE CROWD AT STARZ OF THE FUTURE ""

"...The Sidekicks, a three-piece band from Royal Palm Beach, performed on the Sun-Sentinel Stage at the Starz of the Future showcase Jan. 21 at the South Florida Fair.... " - Editor - Palms West People, The Town Crier News - Wellington - Royal Plam Beach - Loxahatchee - The


""SIDEKICKS WOW THE CROWD AT STARZ OF THE FUTURE ""

"...The Sidekicks, a three-piece band from Royal Palm Beach, performed on the Sun-Sentinel Stage at the Starz of the Future showcase Jan. 21 at the South Florida Fair.... " - Editor - Palms West People, The Town Crier News - Wellington - Royal Plam Beach - Loxahatchee - The


"Bands Battle It Out At Citrus Fest"

"The Citrus Festival's Battle of the Bands attracted musical groups from across the state, including a talented trio of kids from West Palm Beach." - Sunde Farquhar , Palm Harbor Patch (Tampa FL) (Apr 03, 2012)


"Bands Battle It Out At Citrus Fest"

"The Citrus Festival's Battle of the Bands attracted musical groups from across the state, including a talented trio of kids from West Palm Beach." - Sunde Farquhar , Palm Harbor Patch (Tampa FL) (Apr 03, 2012)


""Starz of the Future" shine in South Florida Fair competition Guiatrist Ryan Medina with his mother Maria Medina. (See Page 5)"

"Starz of the Future" shine in South Florida Fair competition Guiatrist Ryan Medina with his mother Maria Medina. (See Page 5) - Denise Fleischman - The Town Crier News - Wellington - Royal Palm Beach - Loxahatchee - The Acreage


""Starz of the Future" shine in South Florida Fair competition Guiatrist Ryan Medina with his mother Maria Medina. (See Page 5)"

"Starz of the Future" shine in South Florida Fair competition Guiatrist Ryan Medina with his mother Maria Medina. (See Page 5) - Denise Fleischman - The Town Crier News - Wellington - Royal Palm Beach - Loxahatchee - The Acreage


"Royal Palm youth wowed them at Fair's Starz of Future contest"

Ryan Medina had never heard of the bands that are now making him famous.

Journey, Van Halen, Nirvana? That's another era to an 11 year old.

But when he started taking guitar lessons less than 18 months ago, he not only learned to appreciate them, he learned to emulate them.

Medina, a student at H.L. Johnson Elementary in Royal Palm Beach, reached the semifinals of the Starz of the Future talent competition at the South Florida Fair last month. And on any given Saturday, you can catch him playing and belting out his now-favorite songs at Hurricane Grill & Wings off Southern Boulevard.

"It's really fun getting to play in front of crowds so people can hear your music," he said.

His mother, Marie, jokes that Ryan comes from a "musically challenged" family. But it was that family that got him started in music. An uncle gave him an electric guitar as a gift and recently, Ryan received a new guitar, an Epiphone SG, for Christmas.

And, he doesn't have to play alone. His sister, Melanie, 15, got an acoustic guitar from her uncle and the two hope to start a band together.

"I always wanted to play music," Ryan said. "When my uncle gave me a guitar, it opened the door to me."

He learned the music from his teacher, Mark Boreffi. But he learned the lyrics to many of these older songs from playing the video game "Rock Band." Now, he loves to play Journey more than any other.

And he's taken his interest a step further. He started singing along with his guitar playing and it's taken him to the next level.

"He discovered he has a good voice. Who knows where he's been hiding it?" his mother, Marie, said.

He admits he still gets nervous before playing in front of a crowd. But he's immediately cured by the applause.

"Once you get up there, it all goes away," he said.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What are some of your favorite songs to play?

'I like Journey: Anyway You Want it, Don't Stop Believing. But I also like Smells Like Teen Spirit from Nirvana and Van Halen.'

What do your friends think about all this?

'They're cool. I call them and tell them to come out to Hurricane's to watch.'

What is it like just before you go out on stage to play?

'At first, you're really, really nervous before you go up there.'

What do you like best about being able to play music?

'It's fun because you can play songs that you really like to hear and you can play them as much as you want.'

By Carlos Frias Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Posted: 8:48 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2011 - The Palm Beach Post


"Royal Palm youth wowed them at Fair's Starz of Future contest"

Ryan Medina had never heard of the bands that are now making him famous.

Journey, Van Halen, Nirvana? That's another era to an 11 year old.

But when he started taking guitar lessons less than 18 months ago, he not only learned to appreciate them, he learned to emulate them.

Medina, a student at H.L. Johnson Elementary in Royal Palm Beach, reached the semifinals of the Starz of the Future talent competition at the South Florida Fair last month. And on any given Saturday, you can catch him playing and belting out his now-favorite songs at Hurricane Grill & Wings off Southern Boulevard.

"It's really fun getting to play in front of crowds so people can hear your music," he said.

His mother, Marie, jokes that Ryan comes from a "musically challenged" family. But it was that family that got him started in music. An uncle gave him an electric guitar as a gift and recently, Ryan received a new guitar, an Epiphone SG, for Christmas.

And, he doesn't have to play alone. His sister, Melanie, 15, got an acoustic guitar from her uncle and the two hope to start a band together.

"I always wanted to play music," Ryan said. "When my uncle gave me a guitar, it opened the door to me."

He learned the music from his teacher, Mark Boreffi. But he learned the lyrics to many of these older songs from playing the video game "Rock Band." Now, he loves to play Journey more than any other.

And he's taken his interest a step further. He started singing along with his guitar playing and it's taken him to the next level.

"He discovered he has a good voice. Who knows where he's been hiding it?" his mother, Marie, said.

He admits he still gets nervous before playing in front of a crowd. But he's immediately cured by the applause.

"Once you get up there, it all goes away," he said.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What are some of your favorite songs to play?

'I like Journey: Anyway You Want it, Don't Stop Believing. But I also like Smells Like Teen Spirit from Nirvana and Van Halen.'

What do your friends think about all this?

'They're cool. I call them and tell them to come out to Hurricane's to watch.'

What is it like just before you go out on stage to play?

'At first, you're really, really nervous before you go up there.'

What do you like best about being able to play music?

'It's fun because you can play songs that you really like to hear and you can play them as much as you want.'

By Carlos Frias Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Posted: 8:48 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2011 - The Palm Beach Post


"Fresh off fair performance, Sidekicks to rock Connolly's"

The Sidekicks band, made up of Ryan Medina, Cory Ricardy and Melanie Medina, has quickly been making a name for itself in the western communities. Recently they helped the South Florida Fair celebrate 100 years with a concert on Jan. 21 as part of the Stars of Tomorrow event.

Although the band has only been together a little more than a month its members said they were honored to get the chance to be part of this historical fair year, Ryan said.

Melanie said she was excited to get the chance to have so many people listen to them perform.

"It is tons of fun playing to a larger audience," she said.

Cory said that the concert was the chance for the band, which has been playing at area sports bars, restaurants and fundraisers, to rock out loud on an open stage. They have played at Foster's Grill, Connolly's Sports Bar and Grill, and Hurricane Grill & Wings.

Each of the band members not only excels at music but they also are excellent students, according to Maria Medina, Melanie and Ryan's mother. Melanie and Ryan took lessons when they first started but have perfected their talent with practice.

"My brother and I have been playing like a year and half together," Melanie said. "Ryan started first and then I got interested in playing guitar."

Cory, the drummer, is the newest member, and according to him, the dynamics of the band were clear from the beginning.

He taught himself how to play the drums and has been playing for about six years, learning as he goes.

"I started playing on coffee cans," Cory said. "Then I got my first drum set. I always liked listening to music; as I started playing it became a lot of fun and my drumming just fell into place."

The band plays popular covers from classic rock to today's alternative favorites.

"We play the music that our audience likes to listen to and gets them moving," Melanie said.

Along with performing covers the band has two original songs that they have written. Melanie wrote the lyrics, Ryan wrote the music and Cory has written the drum part to their songs.

Their next performance will be on Feb. 12 at Connolly's, 10045 Belvedere Road, in Royal Palm Beach for the Change 4 Change event.

Visit SidekickBand.com or Facebook.com/SidekickBand.

Nadia Sorocka nsorocka@tribune.com

February 1, 2012
Copyright © 2012, South Florida Sun-Sentinel - Sun Sentinel & Forum Publishing Group


"Fresh off fair performance, Sidekicks to rock Connolly's"

The Sidekicks band, made up of Ryan Medina, Cory Ricardy and Melanie Medina, has quickly been making a name for itself in the western communities. Recently they helped the South Florida Fair celebrate 100 years with a concert on Jan. 21 as part of the Stars of Tomorrow event.

Although the band has only been together a little more than a month its members said they were honored to get the chance to be part of this historical fair year, Ryan said.

Melanie said she was excited to get the chance to have so many people listen to them perform.

"It is tons of fun playing to a larger audience," she said.

Cory said that the concert was the chance for the band, which has been playing at area sports bars, restaurants and fundraisers, to rock out loud on an open stage. They have played at Foster's Grill, Connolly's Sports Bar and Grill, and Hurricane Grill & Wings.

Each of the band members not only excels at music but they also are excellent students, according to Maria Medina, Melanie and Ryan's mother. Melanie and Ryan took lessons when they first started but have perfected their talent with practice.

"My brother and I have been playing like a year and half together," Melanie said. "Ryan started first and then I got interested in playing guitar."

Cory, the drummer, is the newest member, and according to him, the dynamics of the band were clear from the beginning.

He taught himself how to play the drums and has been playing for about six years, learning as he goes.

"I started playing on coffee cans," Cory said. "Then I got my first drum set. I always liked listening to music; as I started playing it became a lot of fun and my drumming just fell into place."

The band plays popular covers from classic rock to today's alternative favorites.

"We play the music that our audience likes to listen to and gets them moving," Melanie said.

Along with performing covers the band has two original songs that they have written. Melanie wrote the lyrics, Ryan wrote the music and Cory has written the drum part to their songs.

Their next performance will be on Feb. 12 at Connolly's, 10045 Belvedere Road, in Royal Palm Beach for the Change 4 Change event.

Visit SidekickBand.com or Facebook.com/SidekickBand.

Nadia Sorocka nsorocka@tribune.com

February 1, 2012
Copyright © 2012, South Florida Sun-Sentinel - Sun Sentinel & Forum Publishing Group


Discography

Originals songs are under development and recording is scheduled for 3/2012.

COVER & ORIGINAL SAMPLE LIST:
Rivalries (original), Sticks & Stones (original), Summer of 69, My Own Worst Enemy, The Middle, Basket Case, I Love Rock N Roll, Smells Like Teen Spirit, Steady as She Goes, Adam's Song, Best of You, Beverly Hills, Seven Nation Army, Creep, Anthem part II, Animal, You Really Got Me, Brain Stew, Dammit, Kryptonite, Heart-Shaped Box, Loser, You Really Got Me, Chasing Cars, Killing In The Name, plus many more...

INFLUENCES:
Foo Fighters, My Chemical Romance, blink-182, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Joan Jett, Van Halen, 3 Doors Down, Nirvana, Muse

GENRE
Rock, Alternative, Grunge, Heavy Rock, Metal.

Photos

Bio

The SIBLING rivalry (yes, they are Brother & Sister!) between Ryan Medina (12, but with looks and maturity of a 15-16) as the frontman/lead guitarist and Melanie Medina (16) bassist comes from being passionate musicians and their driving desire to perform. Audiences are amazed by their talent as they command the stage.

Previous performances at various venues include Connolly's I & II, a running gig at Fosters Grille in Royal Palm Beach, the South FL Fair, PGA Downtowns Got Talent, Swamp Grass Willies, Hurricanes Wings, the Wellington Amphitheatre (Parade participants), private parties and numerous Charity events.

MEMBER INFO:

RYAN MEDINA - FRONTMAN/LEAD GUITAR
Starting at only 11 years old, Ryan quickly showed he had a voice as well as the ability to play a song by listening to it. Little did he know when he put up a poster of Slash from Guns n Roses that someday he would be playing in a band. Ryan’s sibling, Melanie introduced him to the world of Rock and Roll. He first learned to play an electric guitar which his Uncle Philip and Aunt Sherry gave to him. He then learned the acoustic and bass guitars. One night while playing guitar with his sister at a local restaurant he was asked by the band to sing “"Don’t Stop Believing”" by Journey. To everyone’s amazement, (especially Ryan) he sounded great! So he continued singing and playing guitar every chance he could get. He is in the 6th grade and attends Crestwood Middle School. On any given day Ryan can be found attending to his sibling duties of torturing his older sister Melanie and younger brother Roman.

MELANIE MEDINA - BASS/BACKUP VOCALS
Holiday by Green Day, that’s the song that inspired Melanie to playing music. She later saw them in concert and committed to learning how to play guitar. Although she was only 15, she was accepted into FAU and is majoring in Anthropology. She is the oldest of 3 siblings, younger brothers Ryan (lead singer) and Roman (4) who is “in training” for the band. Many have mistaken her for being very reserved and shy, but watch out when she hits the stage to rock out. She holds nothing back with her red hair and rockin’ attitude. Melanie first learned to play an acoustic guitar her uncle Philip gave her, she then went on to learn the electric guitar. She found her passion in playing the bass guitar which you can see in her performance that she feels the beat. Inspired by her new BASS, which her Uncle Mikey and Aunt Karina gave to her as a birthday present, Melanie is rocking on with the band!