REVIEW: Don Toliver’s “Love Sick” Album Release Show Wows New York City With Special Guest Travis Scott

NEW YORK, NY - Words and Photos by John Krug

On an unsurprisingly chilly February evening in New York City, a massive line practically engulfed one of Manhattan’s most historic venues: Irving Plaza. Draped in flashy streetwear and tour merchandise, the crowd here was amped and ready to see one of melodic hip-hop’s biggest shining stars, Don Toliver, deliver a relatively impromptu performance. Signed to Travis Scott’s “Cactus Jack” record label, Toliver was using this night as a release party of sorts for his third studio album, “Love Sick”. Released just days prior on February 24th, the record marked a new beginning for Toliver as he enlisted the likes of Future, Justin Bieber, Lil Durk & Brent Faiyaz as features to create his boldest work yet. As over a thousand fans went through security and had their freshly purchased tickets scanned, it was immediately clear that this would be a night to remember. The wide yet intimate ballroom space quickly filled up as fans who’d been lined up since as early as 11 AM ran to claim their spots on the front barricade and beyond. The crowd quickly took note of the simple yet fascinating stage setup, which featured a towering LED screen lit brightly in red with the “Love Sick” album logo and a QR code to stream it. There were also multiple bouquets of fresh roses lining both the lone DJ table on stage and the large screen alongside it. Before any music had even begun to play, Toliver was already immersing fans into the moody and sensual world of his brand new record.

Around an hour after the venue doors opened, the house lights began to dim and Toliver’s DJ, “Doc” McDaniels, took the stage to warm up an eager sold out crowd. As the sounds of New York City rap staples such as A$AP Ferg’s “Plain Jane” and the late Pop Smoke’s “Dior” blasted over the speakers, fans opened up massive mosh pits and effectively set the tone for the rest of the night. After a nearly 40-minute opening set, McDaniels asked the crowd: “Y’all ready for Don Toliver?”. The packed crowd then erupted as Toliver stepped onto the stage wearing a royal blue suit and flashy diamond heart chain, singing the opening lines to his breakout collaboration with Travis Scott, “Can’t Say”. The beat then dropped, accompanied by McDaniels’ signature bomb sound effect, as a frenzy of fans jumping began to compress toward the stage. There was practically no room to move near the front barricade, but nobody seemed to care. Everyone was simply caught up in the moment as the Cactus Jack veteran transitioned right into fan-favorite track “Cardigan” from 2020’s “Heaven Or Hell”. Fans moshed, jumped and screamed the words to the undeniably catchy hook. “Before I get into that new-new, I wanna just have a little bit more fun,” said Toliver following the song. The rambunctious crowd quickly opened up another large mosh pit as “Had Enough” from the 2019 Cactus Jack collaborative effort “Jackboys” blasted over the speakers. After yet another round of moshing and rage, Toliver brought the crowd deeper into the world of “Love Sick”, playing “Honeymoon”, “Let Her Go” and “Private Landing” from the brand new LP. Despite not exactly knowing everything word-for-word yet, the sold out mob of fans still maintained the exact same level of passion they began the night with. Toliver certainly took note of that, quickly maneuvering over to some familiar cuts from Metro Boomin’s 2022 trap epic “Heroes & Villains”. If anyone in the building thought the madness had already peaked, they were immediately proven wrong as “I Can’t Save You” and “Too Many Nights” created a whirlwind of energy so strong you’d think Metro himself was officiating the evening. A boisterous performance of “No Pole” from the deluxe version of “Love Sick” (which was released just hours prior) immediately followed, and the crowd began to become unruly as some spotted a familiar figure toward the curtained off corner of the stage… 

Something in the room quickly shifted as countless concertgoers began to inch forward, making sure to pull out their phones. McDaniels quickly called for everyone to “open that shit up in the middle”. “Wider. Wider. WIDER! If you can’t stand there, get your ass out the way!” he yelled as a mob of crowd members proudly decked out in 175TV reflective straps & ski masks pushed others back to form the largest mosh pit of the evening. It was showtime yet again. With just two words, Toliver was ready to go. “DROP IT” he said, immediately leading into the frantic drum pattern of “Embarrassed”, also just released the same day as part of the deluxe album. Toliver’s autotune-heavy humming harmonies filled the room as the entire audience was quickly sent into a frenzy. Cue the goosebumps. From the small staircase to the right side of the stage emerged none other than Travis Scott, covered in a black Givenchy fur jacket and one of his signature flat-brim hats. The crowd erupted in dramatic fashion, jumping in sync as Toliver and Scott met in the middle of the charmingly small stage. Long gone was any extra space left for those braving the front few rows of mayhem. One of the most influential hip-hop artists of this generation had just touched down in the city that never sleeps. “Yo Don, can I just do one joint real quick?” asked Scott as a bevy of brightly lit phone screens filled the air. The immediately recognizable beat to his 2015 smash-hit “Antidote” then blared over the sound system as the relentless crowd proceeded to jump in a flurry of excitement. The Cactus Jack duo then transitioned directly into one of their most notable collaborative tracks, 2021’s “Flocky Flocky”. Toliver and Scott had the capacity crowd in the palm of their hands as the impromptu show began to approach its final moments. Scott proceeded to bring a crowd surfing audience member on stage, who promptly dove right back into the sea of bodies to the bellowing horns of Toliver’s breakout viral hit “After Party”. 

The night promptly culminated with a punchy performance of “Smoke” as Scott took to the DJ table for Toliver to shine in the spotlight one last time. The duo then exited the stage in what felt like a flash as a cinematic trailer for “Love Sick” illuminated the large LED screen. After a “ONE MORE SONG!” chant by the crowd was met with no response, the house lights came back up and the sold out audience began to process the surreal performance they’d just witnessed. The floor was littered with crushed cans of alcohol, missing shoes and plenty of other loose articles. Fans began to reunite with their friends they’d lost in the untamed mosh pits, brimming with excitement as they recounted a wild experience like no other. At a mere $35 per ticket, it’s safe to say that everyone in this now musty, sweaty ballroom felt as if they’d gotten their money’s worth. After all, to quote Travis Scott himself: “Anything can happen at the night show”.