You follow Demetri Papanicolau’s winding path from Fidelity financial consultant to full-time booking agent and working musician, discovering how taking risks, saying yes to scary gigs, and learning from every stage moment shaped his career. You hear how singing AC/DC and Zeppelin in high school, drilling Beatles harmonies, and navigating the evolution from originals to covers built the chops he still relies on today. As you ride through stories of surprise band formations, COVID-era pivots, and the birth of Rotten Apple, you’re reminded that you must Always Be Performing, even when the gig you expected turns into something entirely different.
You also step inside Demetri’s world at Notso Costley Productions, where booking is equal parts diplomacy, coaching, and reading the room. He breaks down what venues actually want, what musicians consistently get wrong, and how reliability wins more than draw. You learn how he balances the needs of solos, duos, trios, and full bands; why non-verbal communication and a good hang matter; how to build an EPK that gets you on a roster; and what happens when rates rise across the scene. Through it all, Demetri shows how being both booker and performer lets him guide bands and venues toward smoother nights, stronger partnerships, and gigs that keep everyone coming back.
- 00:00:00 Gig Gab 512 – Monday, December 15th, 2025
- December 15th: National Cupcake Day
- Guest co-host: Demetri Papanicolau from Notso Costley Productions
- NAMM coming up!
- GG Coverage Sponsor: Ultimate Ears Pro!
- 00:02:19 From Fidelity Financial Consultant to Acquiring and running a Booking Agency
- Josh Logan, local to New Hampshire, did Rock Star Supernova and then The Voice
- And then…Demetri wins the Black Brimmer’s Rock Star ManchVegas
- Doors opened!
- 00:05:33 Singing AC/DC and Zeppelin in high school to vocal lessons
- 00:06:06 Learning harmonies by singing The Beatles
- 00:07:32 Playing in an original band that became a cover band
- 00:10:05 Learning while not playing…big ears!
- Submitted to America’s Got Talent
- 00:13:39 Taking new gigs even when they scare the heck out of you
- A Josh Logan cancelation leads to a band formation to sub!
- 00:16:02 It’s not about the gigs you take, it’s also about the gigs you don’t take
- Be selective!
- 00:17:17 Alice and Chains becomes the thread to the story
- 00:18:51 COVID derails (and delays) some gigs…oh how we remember!
- October and November, 2020
- When an acoustic duo gig turns into a full band on stage
- Rotten Apple forms! A tribute to Alice and Chains
- 00:22:28 Always performing with passion
- …and perfection!
- Developing that non-verbal communication
- 00:28:22 Bonding as harmony singers
- When you find that magic formula with someone, stick with it!
- 00:33:41 Putting the time in for continuous growth
- Maintaining beginner’s mind
- 00:34:07 Finding those right partners where it’s a good hang
- When your FOH Jim Roese, FOH with Fuel, Melissa Etheridge, and also Rotten Apple
- 00:37:44 Running a booking agency
- Working for both the venue and the performer
- Having a roster of musicians: solos, duos, trios, full bands
- Being in the performer’s shoes helps Demetri be a coach to bands AND venues to ensure smooth sailing
- 00:42:48 Reading the room goes a long
- 00:44:15 Demetri’s advice for making it work (or not work)
- To get on the roster: Have a good EPK and promo kit
- Once you’re on: responsiveness, being available, managing your schedule
- 00:46:24 Demetri’s biggest juggling act: adapting to last-minute changes
- The time Casual Gravity cancelled last minute!
- Reliability is huge
- 00:54:17 Venue feedback
- Draw isn’t always the most important thing
- Be a pro on the mic. Represent the venue.
- Play the right songs.
- Keeping the venues happy allows Demetri to book his roster of performers
- 00:57:43 Raising rates for the performer
- New rates for 2025
- $230-$250 for solo (from $170-$200 three years ago)
- $450-$500 for duo
- $660-$700 for trio
- $700-$1,000 for bands (or more for A-List prices)
- Balancing rates between performers and venues, ensuring everyone is profitable
- 01:05:03 Carrying on Paul Costley’s legacy and tradition with Nosto Costley Productions
- Took a voluntary buyout package from Fidelity to make the time to acquire the agency
- 12/31/2021 was the day Demetri took over…and stopped cutting his hair
- 01:09:20 Gig Gab 512 Outtro
- Follow Demetri Papanicolau
- Contact Gig Gab!
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