Don Toliver ‘TORE UP’ the Stage in Chicago on His PSYCHO Tour

On the 23rd stop of his cross-country PSYCHO Tour, American rapper Don Toliver put on an energetic show at University of Illinois’ Credit Union 1 Arena Nov. 18.

Molly Santana opened the show with an underwhelming performance of unrestrained yelling and vocal errors, lacking audience engagement. 

Following was a tribute to deceased rappers XXXTentacion and Juice WRLD, with a moment of silence given after a handful of their songs were played. 

The prologue closed with sets from Monaleo and Ski Mask the Slump God. 

After over two hours, accompanied by a mighty electric guitar solo, Don Toliver emerged from a metal globe at the back of the stage to meet roaring fans.

As the stadium flooded with purple lights and smoke, Toliver started with “Kryptonite,” the lead track on his June 14 album “HARDSTONE PSYCHO.”

“Purple clouds fillin’ up the air tonight / She ain’t callin’, she feel it in the air tonight,” Toliver sang.

He continued to sing “Tore Up,” “Brother Stone” and “4X4” from “HARDSTONE PSYCHO” before transitioning into a throwback from his 2020 album “Heaven or Hell.” After the first notes of “Cardigan” rang out, the arena’s energy skyrocketed as fans screamed along to the song.

“Hotter than the sauna, I met her at Salata / Bought lil’ baby Prada, she popped it for the dollar,” Toliver rapped.

Next, Toliver played “Had Enough,” “Gang Gang” and “What To Do?” from “JACKBOYS,” a 2019 compilation album. With strobes and heavy trap beats, Toliver ran up and down the stage with a thrilling performance, despite the absences of the tracks’ featured artists.

Dressed head-to-toe in leather, Toliver embodied the biker gang aesthetic seen in the album cover and accompanying music videos like “Deep in the Water,” “Bandit”and “New Drop.”

This aesthetic contrasts with his 2023 album “Love Sick,” which featured nostalgic ‘70s diner vibes. However, fans of “Love Sick” were still appeased as Toliver played “Embarrassed,” “Private Landing” and “No Pole” off the album. 

“No Pole,” which Toliver sang twice in a row, featured magenta and green stage lights, along with spiraling strobes and smoke machines.

“Like did you get the memo? / She eat out of the relay / I’m poppin’ hella Skittles / Then I can solve your riddle,” Toliver rapped.

Returning to the PSYCHO valley setting built in his short film “HARDSTONE PSYCHO,” Toliver sang “Backstreets” and “New Drop.”

The arena filled with fog and golden lasers to accompany the music. Fans jumped like waves to the infectious club-like sound of “New Drop.” The visuals, energy, heavy bass drops and autotune mic filter made it a Toliver production.

Along with his own music, Toliver played “Field Trip” and “Can’t Tell Me Nothing” by Kanye West, along with Travis Scott’s “Can’t Say” and “FE!N.” As strobe lights glared, “FE!N” invigorated the crowd, garnering some of the loudest cheers and hype of the entire night.

During hit single “Bandit,” motorcyclists performed the Globe of Death — a circus stunt in which cyclists ride upside down inside a metal sphere.

“Best You Had” followed as a throwback favorite for long-time fans.

“I done lost you once, ain’t trippin’, I’m gettin’ you back / Me bein’ down, who, me? I’m the best you had,” Toliver sang.

During “Smoke” — a flashback from Toliver’s 2021 album “Life of a Don” — spotlights on the crowd signaled where to open mosh pits. On the beat drop, fans on the floor swarmed into the pits, jumping, pushing and mobbing to the vigorous beat.

“Swangin’ on Westheimer” took things down a notch and offered a slower, calmer section of the concert. Toliver and his mic stand stood on a small portion of the stage as it rose into the air under a red spotlight.

“Don’t put me in a box now / I’m by myself, yeah, I’m on lockdown,” he sang.

The pace quickened again when throwback hits “Lemonade,” “No idea” and “After Party” played. Accompanied by flamethrowers, the Psycho Mascot and an electric guitar soloist, Toliver ran up and down the stage, hyping up the crowd.

Nearing the performance’s end, Toliver asked fans to turn on their phone flashlights during the stand-out song “Too Many Nights.” As thousands of lights shined around him, Toliver hit his iconic dance move known as The Fool.

To close out the show, Toliver played “Tore Up” again after the audience chanted for an encore.