Perhaps one of the most prominent figures in entertainment right now, Malcolm Todd kicked off his highly-anticipated, and entirely sold-out, Do That Again Tour at The Pavilion at Irving Music Factory in Irving, TX this past Wednesday night. Performing all but one track from his new album, Do That Again, which included six live debuts, Todd ensured fans of the new record got their money's worth. Long time fans got their fill as well, with Todd diving back into much of his breakout project, 2024's Sweet Boy, and his self-titled 2025 album, throughout the evening.
Debuting at #5 on the Billboard Hot 200, the release of the new record back in early June all but cemented Todd's rise as a key player within the contemporary music sphere. The steady yet impactful climb of "Earrings" and "Roommates," both off of Sweet Boy, combined with a significant amount of, shall we say, tolerably beneficial online discourse in regard to Todd's genre of residence, viable skills, marketability, etc., could and should be attributed to his rise and the influx of attention that drove him to this sold-out run. A campaign for a Best New Artist nomination at the 2027 Grammys, and perhaps for Best Pop Vocal Album as the next feasible choice, is imminent.
In the meantime, Todd has now hit the road, and will look to take a moment to begin to reel in his narrative, expand the world of his music through live performance, and provide fans the opportunity to connect with him away from their phone screens. As he and his sister, "Sue Me" singer Audrey Hobert, continue to prove themselves as naturally pervasive characters within this current cultural and musical landscape, it may be relatively simple to tick all of these boxes.
Todd's set began with six consecutive Do That Again tracks, starting with shortened intro "Jeans" and leading directly into the Justin Timberlake-tinged "Breathe." With its beat-forward and conversational talk-singing intro, the tune is an appropriate way to kick off the evening: "Breathe... breathe into me/ I had two best friends in a hotel suite/ Now what?/ it's me and you/ You do the thing that they can't do." Next was "Malcolm In The Middle," one of this writer's top picks from the record, and the live debut of "Free.99," the latter transitioning from a strict 60's soul vibe to a dedicated alternative pop-oriented sound within its first minute.
Addressing the crowd in the early stages of the show, Todd's nerves, or perhaps just general awkwardness, were on full display as he admitted to Irving's show acting as a trial run: "The first show is funny cause, like, think about it, we're about to do this show, like 30 more times after this. And we HAVEN'T TRIED IT YET! So, you're seeing the very purest form of this show," he said, his arms flailing in several directions. As his audience, primarily suited within the YA-demographic his music is tailored to, fervently sang along to every song of the setlist, it was clear they were not perturbed by any kind of first-show jitters.
From the live debut of "Ain't That The Truth," Todd took it back to his 2025 self-titled record with "Walk To Class" and "Bleed," sans Omar Apollo, and 2024 two-pack Two New Malcolm Todd Songs with "You Owe Me." At 73 million streams, the chirping yet candid nature of this one seemed to bridge the gap between Todd's music prior to this point and what was to come.
Returning to DTA, Todd debuted the dramatized "X's and O's," replacing its yearning voicemail with effective crowd work: "What's up Dallas? How's it goin'? What? Oh no, I'm just, uh, waiting here, playing the best concert I've ever seen in my whole life... anyways, getbacktomebyeIloveyou." He then shifted to "Obsessica," a vocal highlight of the evening as Todd mixed-belted his way through the final third of the song. Aware of the dynamic markings of the band, he acted accordingly, whipping out an electric guitar solo to boot. From there, he reverted back to Sweet Boy for "4Me 4Me," "Mr. Incorrect," and its title track.
Todd's final two live debuts of the evening came in the form of DTA tracks "Good Bye" and "Gun To My Head," sandwiched in between two self-titled tracks, "Make Me a Better Man" and "Cheer Me On." He played piano for both the debuts, staring out into the crowd with an astonished smile throughout "GTMH," and conveying his tender relationship with "Good Bye," stating, "Sometimes you make a song at the end of the album that maybe not everyone listens to, but it means a lot to you. This is that song for me." With phone lights illuminating the Pavilion, Todd maneuvered through the vulnerable album track. The sentimentality continued with "Cheer Me On," the stimulating track of his self-titled.
The final moments of the evening were, unquestionably, a string of hits. Todd exited the stage at the conclusion of "Earrings" and and DTA lead single "I Saw Your Face" to close out the main show, and returned for "Roommates" and the premiere performance of "Do That Again." In the interim, home videos, as far back as Todd's birth and chronicling his life and career, were displayed on the screen. These curated flashes of actuality were evident in demonstrating that the show was designed to humanize the often misconstrued young star, a star who finds refuge amongst his people. His ride-or-dies. The ones who disregard the external dialogue and focus on the music they so clearly relate to. As "Roommates," Todd's three year old runaway hit, blared over the speakers, the Irving crowd lost themselves in it. And Todd lost himself in them.
Catch Todd on the the Do That Again Tour through the end of October:
09/09 – Fort Lauderdale, FL @ War Memorial Auditorium
09/10 – Orlando, FL @ Hard Rock Live Orlando
09/12 – Atlanta, GA @ Coca-Cola Roxy
09/13 – Atlanta, GA @ Coca-Cola Roxy
09/15 – Charlotte, NC @ Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre
09/16 – Raleigh, NC @ Red Hat Amphitheater
09/18 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Met Philadelphia
09/19 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Met Philadelphia
09/20 – Washington, DC @ The Anthem
09/22 – New York, NY @ Radio City Music Hall
09/23 – New York, NY @ Radio City Music Hall
09/26 – Boston, MA @ MGM Music Hall at Fenway
09/28 – Toronto, ON @ History
09/29 – Toronto, ON @ History
10/01 – Detroit, MI @ Fox Theatre
10/03 – Nashville, TN @ The Truth
10/04 – Maryland Heights, MO @ Saint Louis Music Park
10/06 – Chicago, IL @ Salt Shed Outdoor Fairgrounds
10/07 – Chicago, IL @ Salt Shed Outdoor Fairgrounds
10/09 – Minneapolis, MN @ The Armory
10/11 – Denver, CO @ Mission Ballroom
10/12 – Denver, CO @ Mission Ballroom
10/13 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Union Event Center
10/15 – Seattle, WA @ Paramount Theatre
10/16 – Seattle, WA @ Paramount Theatre
10/18 – Vancouver, BC @ PNE Forum
10/19 – Portland, OR @ Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall
10/21 – Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater
10/22 – Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater
10/24 – San Diego, CA @ Gallagher Square at PETCO Park
10/25 – Phoenix, AZ @ Arizona Financial Theatre
10/28 – Los Angeles, CA @ Greek Theatre
10/29 – Los Angeles, CA @ Greek Theatre
10/30 – Los Angeles, CA @ Greek Theatre
