Don Toliver ignited Bridgestone Arena with a high-octane performance as the second leg of his "Octane" tour rolled through Nashville.
The Houston-bred rapper and songwriter took over Nashville's Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday, Aug. 19 for hisNitrous Tour—the second tour in support of his fifth studio album, "Octane." The first leg included 33 shows, kicking off May 8, 2026, in Orlando before concluding in Denver on July 5. He launched phase two on August 4, in Sacramento, Calif.
Prior to Toliver taking the stage in Music City, DJ Chase B warmed up the packed crowd with a string of hard-hitting tracks, prompting fans to respond with an early mosh pit and booming singalongs.
"This might be the loudest stop," the DJ assured the crowd ahead of the show.
"I feel like this might go down in history." Before Chase B's set ended, he made sure to pay homage to late producer Tay Keith, who was found dead at the age of 29 in his Nashville apartment in June.
"I just want to pay tribute to someone right now," Chase B said before calling Tay Keith the "best to ever do it" and spinning through some of his massive hits.
Donning all-white, Don Toliver kicked off his performance just after 9 p.m., entering the stage to his ubiquitous track, "E85." Surrounded by flashing beams of light, fire and smoke, Toliver addressed the lively crowd, saying "Nashville, Tennessee, this is my first time being here. I’m very happy to be here."
Born Caleb Zackary Toliver, Don Toliver kept the arena buzzing throughout the night as he performed songs from "Octane" including "ATM," "Secondhand," "Tiramisu," "Body," "K9," "Tuition," "Call Back" and more.
Released Jan. 30, 2026, the album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 the following month, marking the first time the rapper topped the chart. But, midway through the show, Toliver took fans back to some of his older favorites, including his 2022 hits "No Idea" and "Cardigan."
Later in the evening, he called on fans to "light it up, light it up, all the way up top," prompting phones to illuminate the arena and create a sea of lights in the stands. Then he performed "Sweet Home." As if the entire night wasn’t already a spectacle to remember, Toliver ended the show with a bang, once again performing the opening song of the night, "E85," as fans sang and swayed along.
A day prior, to this Nashville show, Toliver performed again in Atlanta on Aug. 18, lighting up the stage at State Farm. He brought out surprise guests such as Lil Baby, Ludacris, T-Pain, Rema, and Fatt Smaxk.
His next stop will be in Orlando, Fla., on Aug. 21. The tour officially wraps Nov. 23 in London.
Follow USA TODAY Network and The Tennessean music reporter Caché McClay on Instagram, TikTok and X as @cachemcclay.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Rapper Don Toliver makes his Nashville debut, performing 'Octane' hits
