Mix Fest, which takes place Friday, April 27, at Sunset Station, will showcase a wide variety of musical talents.

She of the rosy cheeks, Katharine McPhee. Getty Images

THE RUNDOWN WHAT: Mix Fest WHEN: 5 p.m. Friday, April 27 WHERE: Lonestar Pavilion at Sunset Station, 1174 E. Commerce St. HOW MUCH: $25 INFO: sunset-station.com/meetevent/concertsevents.html

KATHARINE MCPHEE
Hit single: “Over It”
Who will like it: People who vote for talent on “American Idol”
Who won't like it: People who vote for Sanjaya on “American Idol”
The 210 take: We're not sure what's worse about the fifth season of “American Idol” — the fact that runner-up McPhee can't even headline her own festival, or the fact that champion Taylor Hicks headlined his own tour but no one came

BLUE OCTOBER
Hit single: “Hate Me”
Who will like it: Young, naïve, pseudo-angst-ridden teenagers/young adults
Who won't like it: People with real problems to worry about
The 210 take: After hearing that guy sing “hate me” enough times on the radio, we started to. Not sure if that was his purpose, but if so, it worked.

THE RED JUMPSUIT APPARATUS
Hit single: “Face Down”
Who will like it: Fans of Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance and any other pop punk/screamo bands out right now
Who won't like it: Anyone over the age of 20
The 210 take: The band picked its name by simply selecting three random words and putting them in order. That's deep.

AUGUSTANA
Hit single: “Boston”
Who will like it: Fans of Snow Patrol, The Fray and Coldplay
Who won't like it: Guys who listen to this band with their girlfriends/!wives, then get accused of not being in touch with their feelings and inner sensitivity
The 210 take: Augustana's hit single “Boston” was featured on an episode of MTV's “Laguna Beach.” Well, at least the band knows its target demographic.

PAULA DEANDA
Hit single: “Walk Away (Remember Me)”
Who will like it: High school girls
Who won't like it: High school boys.
The 210 take: It's not like the 17-year old DeAnda is being pushed into the spotlight too soon. Young starlets handle fame and fortune like pros all the time. Just look at Britney and Lindsey.

Q&A: The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus

The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus' debut album, Don't You Fake It, has been certified gold. Before the band takes the stage at Mix Fest, guitarist Elias Ready talked to 210SA.

Are you surprised your debut album, Don't You Fake It, has taken off like it has?
We thought we would do pretty well, and we were all taking bets. I believed we'd sell around 7,500 (copies in the first week), and everybody else had an average of 2,000 or 3,000. Except our drummer, Jon (Wilkes), who said we'd sell 19,000 the first week. We did 26,000, so we were lowballing for sure.

When did you start to experience some buzz around your band?
There was always something about our band. People liked us, the idea of how we got together. We had a huge response on the Internet, and we fed it to the kids, and they ate it up.

How much credit does the hit single “Face Down” get for your newfound popularity?
We'll give credit where credit is due. It's “Face Down,” but it's a lot of other things: Taking time out of your day and making a connection with the fans. Every single day, we're doing acoustic performances and meet-and-greets. I guess you could say this is our 40 days and nights in the desert, and everything is getting pretty crazy.

“Face Down” deals with physical abuse. How much do you think that subject matter factors into its popularity?
Every song on the record is about our singer, one of us or someone we know. They're all true stories from Middleburg, Fla. That (abuse) is something that (lead singer Ronnie Winter) has dealt with and some of us have dealt with. Everyone in the world probably knows somebody that has dealt with it. So what better way to talk about it than by writing a song?

You're only 20. Is it tough living the rock-star life when you're not even old enough to legally have a beer?
For the average 20-year-old, I'd have to say yes, but I haven't had the average life. I was out of the house at 15 or 16, living with different people, so I've been around the block a few times. But I wouldn't advise it. Well, do whatever the hell you want, but be smart about it.

You chose the name Red Jumpsuit Apparatus completely at random. Why?
Honestly, it was just three random words thrown together. We could have changed it a few times, and we were playing with the idea, but we asked, “Why? What's the point of taking a band name seriously?”

Is it tough when people try to lump you in with other bands of a somewhat similar sound?
When we started this band, we had the intent to crush that. We didn't want to deal with that, but it exists. It's not something we sweat at all.

How do you capitalize on your success for the future?
Look forward, and don't get caught up in today. We'll do our best because there's always something bigger and better out there.

Clint Hale | 210SA