Participating in the conversation are several notable local music personalities: Katy Guillen (of the band Katy Guillen and the Girls), Steve Tulipana (co-owner of popular music venue RecordBar), Michelle Bacon (freelance music writer and member of several area bands including The Philistines), and Chris Haghirian (co-founder of Middle of the Map Fest and host of 90.9 FM The Bridge’s Eight One Sixty). They touch on topics ranging from homegrown acts cracking the national scene to ways that local venues stay competitive.

Hosted by social media and digital marketing veterans Ramsey Mohsen and John Kreicbergs, Real/Modern explores connections among the fields of design, technology, and media engagement.

The panel includes:

Steve Tulipana is one half of the team behind the RecordBar, which over the past decade has become one of KC's most popular live music venues. After shutting the doors on the Westport location at the end of 2015, Tulipana and his business partner Shawn Sherrill announced the location of version 2.0 of the RecordBar, set to open its new doors at 1520 Grand during the Middle of the Map Fest. Tulipana is a veteran of the KC live music scene, having been in bands such as Season to Risk and the Roman Numerals.

Katy Guillen is the frontwoman for Katy Guillen and the Girls, veterans of SXSW, Kansas City up-and-comers, and one of the best live acts in KC. She’s also a member of a number of other area bands, including Claire and the Crowded Stage, The B’Dinas, and Quirk and Ruckus.

Michelle Bacon is equally comfortable playing music or writing about it – and keeps busy doing both. She’s the bassist for The Philistines, drummer for Chris Meck and the Guilty Birds, and a writer for 90.9 FM The Bridge.

Some people make playlists for their friends. Chris Haghirian (also known as “Concert Chris”) makes playlists for entire cities. Haghirian is co-founder of Middle of the Map Fest and host of 90.9 FM The Bridge's Eight One Sixty, which shines a light on KC’s music scene with interviews, new tracks and live performances.

From the heart of the Midwest, The Blackbird Revue's delicately driving indie-rock sound is garnering national attention. Featured on NBC's The Voice, The Discovery Channel, and boasting one of Kansas City's top ten albums of 2013, this husband and wife duo has created a sound that is achingly beautiful, hauntingly memorable and passionately performed.