The Feb. 28 show at Steve’s Guitars has been cancelled according to an Instagram post from Viv & Riley (@Vivandriley).

Vivian Leva and Riley Calcagno, known professionally as Viv & Riley, are an indie-folk, singer-songwriter duo based in Durham, North Carolina. They are set to make their Steve’s Guitars debut on Feb. 28 as a part of a release tour for their most recent album, “Imaginary People.” After nearly seven years of playing together, Leva and Calcagno began their album release tour in September and traveled through December 2023. After a brief respite, they are prepared to return to the road.

The two also perform together in Calcagno’s band, the Onlies, which he formed with friends when he was only 7. He described his collaboration with Leva as an “easy, grand adventure,” both in the Onlies and as Viv & Riley.

“We [The Onlies] started playing little random gigs such as weddings and smaller concerts. Having a professional side of music has always been a part of it for me. When I started playing with Viv, it felt like it resonated with people when we wrote and played songs together,” Calcagno told The Sopris Sun. “So we stumbled into doing this as a career together.”

“Imaginary People” explores nostalgia, reflection, loss and navigation. One track, “How to Lose,” reminisces on a lost love with gratitude for the lessons learned. Other tracks on the album recount the duo’s time living apart and together and the wisdom gained. The first track, “Kygers Hill,” recalls Leva’s time in Virginia and was written after a visit to her childhood home. “Sauvie Island” pays homage to their favorite escape destination when they lived in Oregon.

The sound of Viv & Riley is inspired by the music they grew up with. “We both grew up playing old-time music. Our families would bring us along to these fiddlers’ conventions and camp-outs,” Calcagno shared. “I was in Seattle and Viv was in Virginia, but we both have this kind of shared experience with that old-time Appalachian music.”

Leva played in her father’s band as a teenager and feels lucky to have had examples in her youth of making music collaboratively. Moreover, “I think we’re lucky to have both been brought up in a wide-reaching community across the country of people who are into old-time music but also play many different things. We get to be around many musicians, and having peers who are great musicians to play with has always influenced our music,” Leva said.

After hearing about Steve’s Guitars from fellow musicians for several years, Calcagno is excited to play the iconic venue. Through the grapevine, he and Leva have extrapolated that Steve’s fits the bill as an intimate listening room where audiences are especially attentive.

“From what we’ve heard about Steve’s, it’s that kind of experience, and we’re excited about sharing our music in that space,” Calcagno said. “We haven’t come and played in Colorado before. From what I have heard, it’s a cool music scene, and I think it speaks a lot to what we’re doing as a duo.”

Regarding what audiences can expect, Leva said, “It really is a special thing to put yourself in a listening environment and hear songs that speak to you somehow. In recent shows I have experienced, I always leave feeling a little more inspired in life and being in touch with some of its subtler beauties. I hope that people can come and listen to some songs and feel touched in some way.” 

For tickets to Viv & Riley’s performance at Steve’s Guitars, visit www.stevesguitars.net

For updates on Viv & Riley’s upcoming performances, projects and more, visit www.vivandriley.com or follow the duo on Spotify or Instagram: @vivandriley