The winners from the first three “Downbeat Showdown” programs, seen on CityTV of Santa Monica and LA 36, will compete in the championship round on Tuesday, March 22nd, with the finalists competing in the final round on March 29th.
The nine 8th to 12th grade finalists are competing in three categories: singers, bands and poets. According to the program host, Joe Hernandez-Kolski aka “Pocho Joe,” “The kids have been through their paces and are promising to make this championship round as exciting as it is artistic. You can vote for your favorite performer as a member of our studio audience when we tape the show live at the Miles Memorial Playhouse at 7:30 p.m. every Tuesday in March or vote online at www.DownBeatShowdown.org.”
Hernandez-Kolski did the Downbeat 720 Open Mike Show for three years before presenting it on Access Television.
CityTV Station Manager Robin Gee said, “We’re amazed at how talented and exciting all of our local ‘idols’ are and we’re looking forward to the viewer voting response from this championship round.”
This Downbeat Showdown Championship show will air seven times on CityTV Channel 16, starting March 24 at 11 p.m. Additional showings are scheduled for 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. on the following Friday, March 25, Saturday, March 26, and Sunday, March 27. LA 36 viewers can see the program on Friday March 25 at 11 p.m.
