If Not For Me Join Wind Walkers for a Packed Night at The Abbey
A packed venue fueled by heavy riffs and melodic hooks set the stage for If Not For Me’s September 15 stop at The Abbey in Orlando. The show marked the fifth date of Wind Walkers’ first U.S. headlining tour, a run that continues through late October and brings together a lineup of modern heavy music featuring If Not For Me, Wind Walkers, and True North.
Ahead of the show, I sat down with If Not For Me members Patrick Glover (vocals), Hayden Calhoun (guitar), and Zac Allen (bass) to discuss life on the road, their ongoing relationship with Wind Walkers, and what fans could expect from their set on this tour. The conversation offered a glimpse into a touring experience shaped by musical aspirations, camaraderie, and the teamwork required to keep a multi-band tour moving.
A Tour That Still Feels Fresh
Although Orlando was already the fifth stop, Patrick explained that the tour still felt fresh and new. With weeks of dates ahead, that early excitement was still very much part of the experience.
The band members each spoke warmly about their relationship with Wind Walkers, explaining that the bands have known one another for a while and that they love being around the guys. The familiarity extended beyond shared experiences with each other, noting that they work with some of the same producers, engineers, and photographers/videographers. That adds a personal dimension to the tour, making the shared bill more than a collection of bands playing the same venues night after night.
The friendship was a recurring theme in the interview. Touring can be demanding, with long drives, tight schedules, equipment changes, and nightly performances, so enjoying the company of the people around you can make a real difference. For these bands, the existing relationship provides a strong foundation for the experience.
With Orlando arriving early in the tour, there was still plenty of road ahead. The packed crowd at The Abbey offered an encouraging setting for a run that was only beginning to unfold.
“Lie Awake”: A Collaboration With Trevor Borg
One of the most exciting subjects in the pre-show interview was “Lie Awake,” a track from If Not For Me’s album Where the Light Begins to Fade featuring Trevor Borg, lead vocalist of Wind Walkers.
The band expressed excitement about playing the song, making it a particularly relevant part of a tour that brings the two groups together night after night. With Borg contributing his vocals, “Lie Awake” represents a creative connection between artists who already share a bond beyond the stage.
Collaborations can become defining moments on a tour, especially when the featured artist is part of the same lineup. Rather than simply talking about their friendship, the bands have an opportunity to bring that relationship into the music itself.
For fans, the track highlights the creative overlap between If Not For Me and Wind Walkers. It also underscores the collaborative spirit of a heavy-music scene in which artists continually find ways to combine their sounds and introduce their audiences to something new.
The band’s enthusiasm for “Lie Awake” added another layer of anticipation to the Orlando date, giving fans a glimpse into the musical connections that make this touring partnership distinctive.
A Set List Designed to Take the Crowd on a Ride
When asked what fans could expect from their performance, If Not For Me frontman Patrick Glover made it clear that the set was built around intensity, contrast, and keeping the crowd engaged from start to finish.
“We hit it hard and then we pull off a little bit and then hit it hard again. We like the ebbs and flows of it,” Glover explained. “I feel like we have a lot of ass-beaters in this set.” He summed up the approach with one final assurance: “Definitely no slow jams.”
The comments offered a glimpse into the band’s approach to constructing a live set. Rather than maintaining the same level of intensity throughout the performance, If Not For Me embrace the dynamic shifts that make heavy music compelling. Moments of relative restraint give the heavier passages room to hit harder, creating a natural rhythm of tension and release.
That balance is central to modern metalcore, where crushing breakdowns and aggressive vocals often sit alongside melodic hooks and emotionally charged passages. By playing with those contrasts, a band can keep a set moving while giving each song its own impact.
Glover’s description also made clear that the emphasis was on delivering a high-energy performance. With a set full of what he affectionately called “ass-beaters,” fans could expect a heavy-hitting collection of songs and “definitely no slow jams.”
More Than One Job on the Road
The interview also revealed another side of life on tour. Hayden Calhoun wasn’t just representing If Not For Me as a band member; he was also serving as the tour manager while providing on-stage support and technical assistance for Wind Walkers.
That is a substantial set of responsibilities for one person, particularly on a tour involving multiple bands, equipment changes, and the logistical demands of live performance. When I asked Hayden about balancing his tour-management role with his other duties, he offered a straightforward explanation of how touring works behind the scenes:
“On tours like this, everyone pitches in to do lots of things. We all have multiple jobs and help each other out best we can.”
His response captured an essential part of touring that audiences don’t always get to see. While fans experience the finished product onstage, making a show happen requires a collective effort that extends well beyond the performers. Musicians and crew members often take on overlapping responsibilities, stepping in wherever they’re needed to keep the tour moving.
That spirit of cooperation is especially important on a headlining run. Every performance depends on coordination, adaptability, and people willing to help each other out. As Calhoun explained, everyone has multiple jobs, and making the tour work is a shared responsibility.
As someone often working in the background with a background in travel and tour operations, I know first hand how much work Hayden puts in to his dual roles. Seeing the passion and dedication to both roles was apparent and felt a well deserved public kudos was in the least I could do. In an ever-increasing world of consolidation and costs management, Hayden’s experience as a musician and tour manager will make him extremely valuable as his career progresses.
Show Gallery
