Don Toliver’s set as part of the Nitrous – Octane World Tour Leg 2 at the First Horizon Coliseum was a masterclass in bringing a legacy rockstar environment to the modern hip-hop scene.
If you had any doubts about his status in rap right now, the Greensboro show proved he is untouchable live. The second he came out, the crowd erupted. I have rarely seen an arena with that level of anticipation. Fans were screaming every word and matching his energy the entire night.
The visual production was a standout. The main stage was built around a massive dome that looked cinematic under the atmospheric lighting. Besides the strobe lights and bright lasers, the pyrotechnics from the stage were on another level.
Toliver did not stay confined to the main floor. Halfway through the set, he boarded a floating B-stage that hovered directly over the crowd. It gave fans in the upper bowl an intimate view and made the massive arena feel connected.
Toliver is not the type of artist to just pace the stage with a microphone. At one point, he walked down into general admission, parted the sea of fans, and commanded a massive mosh pit. Being in the chaos while the bass shook the walls was an absolute rush.
Musically, the night was a mix of his melodic sound and heavy rock influences. He kicked things off with “E85” before transitioning into favorites like “Cardigan” and “No Idea.” A highlight of the show was the addition of a live guitarist. Having live guitar riffs played over the beats gave a gritty edge to tracks like “Tore Up” and “Bandit.”
By the time he performed his major collaborative tracks, the arena was deafening for “Too Many Nights” and “Can’t Say.” He wrapped up the night with the audience singing along to “Sweet Home” after delivering one last encore of “E85.” I left the coliseum exhausted and wishing he would start the show over. It was easily one of the best live performances I have seen this year.
