Don Toliver turned Madison Square Garden into his own playground on Monday night (June 1), delivering a standout stop on his Octane tour. Performing before a sold-out New York City crowd, the Houston native transformed an already energetic evening into one of the tour’s most memorable nights with a guest list that spanned multiple genres and generations of collaborators.
Following opening sets from SahBabii, SoFaygo, and Chase B, Toliver took the stage in support of his fifth studio album, Octane. The night reached an early peak when SZA emerged for a live rendition of “Used,” their fan-favorite collaboration from her blockbuster album SOS. The performance reunited the pair onstage after previously performing the song together during Toliver’s Love Sick tour in 2023, drawing one of the loudest reactions of the evening.
Momentum continued to build when Peso Pluma joined Toliver to preview an unreleased collaboration that immediately sparked excitement among fans. The appearance further highlighted the growing creative connection between their circles, with Toliver’s wife, Kali Uchis, having previously teamed up with the Mexican superstar on “Igual Que Un Ángel” from her 2024 album, Orquídeas.
Beyond the night’s marquee guest appearances, Toliver also welcomed Harlem rapper Sheck Wes for a hometown-flavored performance of “Mo Bamba,” while singer-songwriter Malcolm Todd joined him onstage in a full-circle moment. Todd’s 2024 track “Chest Pain (I Love It)” was sampled by Toliver on “E85,” making the collaboration a fitting addition to the tour’s stop in The Big Apple.
Announced in February, the Octane Tour comes on the heels of Octane‘s release in January, which is an album Toliver made with the intention of catering to varying sounds and crowds. “I think it’s an experience,” Don told VIBE of the project earlier this year.
“It gives me energy. The vibe of it just feels very adventurous when I listen to it. It just makes me want to start my day. When I get in my car and play the record, it makes me want to just go wherever I need to go. It puts me in this Mission Impossible mindset,” he said. “Of course, it’s my album, but that’s the kind of thing I think about and feel when I listen to it. Mood setting. I would say it’s definitely a moving piece. I love to dance to it. I wouldn’t call it a dance album, but overall, it’s really been something fun. It puts me on a ride and an adventure.”
Toliver’s Octane tour head to Baltimore tonight, June 2. The tour is currently scheduled to run through July 5.
