Today we’d like to introduce you to Travis Hickok.
Hi Travis, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Seventeen years ago, I started DJing at a tiny bar right on the beach in Galveston, splitting the smallest paycheck with my friends. We weren’t very good, but we were having the time of our lives.
As our crew gained momentum, I helped grow SBMT into one of Houston’s busiest DJ agencies, managing entertainment across 30+ venues and producing everything from nightlife and weddings to large-scale festivals like Mardi Gras! Galveston, one of the country’s largest annual Mardi Gras celebrations. During that time, I also spent several years as a mix show DJ on 90.9 KTSU and traveled around the country performing at DJ events.
Later, I moved to Arizona, where I continued DJing while helping grow another successful agency, Collectivist Society. I also spent several years at Songtradr, working with artists and helping negotiate music licensing deals that placed their music in films, television, and campaigns for major brands.
These days I’m back in Houston, and I never imagined DJing would open the doors that it has. If there’s one thing I’m most proud of, it’s seeing so many friends I came up with build successful careers of their own. That’s been every bit as rewarding as the gigs themselves.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Oh yeah, there have definitely been some bumps along the way. The nightlife industry is always changing, especially in Houston the last few years. Venues close, management changes, music trends evolve, and you have to be willing to evolve with them.
Moving across the country twice meant starting over and rebuilding my network each time, and COVID was obviously something none of us saw coming.
I also think people underestimate how demanding this lifestyle can be. Late nights, weekends, travel, and being surrounded by partying all the time can make it easy to develop unhealthy habits if you don’t stay on top of your physical and mental health. Something I could definitely improve on as I get older..
I’ve learned that every city, every crowd, and every era of nightlife is different. The DJs who last are the ones who know how to adapt.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
These days, now that I’ve been back in Houston for a few years, I’ve been more focused on DJing than ever. For the longest time, I spent a lot of my career balancing my own gigs with the behind-the-scenes work, but lately I’ve really enjoyed getting back to what made me fall in love with this in the first place: music.
I’d say I’m probably best known for being an open-format DJ. A lot of DJs play open format these days, but I really enjoy testing the waters and seeing what I can get away with. Sometimes I’ll throw together songs or genres that probably shouldn’t work together, and every now and then you catch a crowd that’s along for the ride. Those are always my favorite nights because everyone ends up discovering something they didn’t expect to like. And every once in a while it completely misses, which I still think is pretty funny.
I’ve definitely leaned more into electronic music over the last few years, but honestly I just like finding those weird combinations that somehow make sense when you hear them. Those little moments of surprise are what keep DJing fun for me.
More than anything, I’m proud of the people this career has brought into my life. Every now and then I’ll stop and realize that some of my closest friends are artists I grew up listening to or look up to. Getting to be friends with people you’re genuinely a fan of is a pretty surreal feeling, and it’s something I don’t think I’ll ever take for granted.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
Oh, I think we’re in for a lot of changes. Music trends are moving faster than ever. A song can blow up, and by the weekend people already feel like they’ve heard it a hundred times because it’s been all over social media. As DJs, we have to stay on top of that while also remembering that not every crowd wants the latest viral song.
AI is another big one. I think it can be an incredible tool, but when it comes to music, I don’t think it’ll ever replace the human element of what we do. I already use AI to recommend songs or spark ideas when I’m putting sets together, but there’s no algorithm that’s going to replace connecting with a crowd in real time or an artist who’s genuinely having a great creative day.
I also think nightlife itself is changing. People are drinking less, bars aren’t as busy as they used to be, and entertainment is competing with more options than ever. Venues and DJs will have to keep evolving if they want to have staying power.
One thing I’m excited about, especially here in Houston, is seeing a new generation of DJs build more house music events. Houston has always been one of the most diverse cities in the country, but for a long time it felt like certain styles had a much bigger footprint than others. House music is what made me fall in love with DJing in the first place, so it’s been really cool watching that scene continue to grow.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://djnonstopp.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/djnonstopp/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/travishickok/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@DJNONSTOPP
- Mixcloud: https://www.mixcloud.com/nonstopp/
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@djnonstopp/
