Mimic

Mimic are a classic rock cover band based out of Colorado Springs, Colorado. The band performs at local music venues, festivals, and private events. Playing the best classic rock hits from the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s that keep the crowd dancing and singing along, the band formed in April of 2022 and is comprised of seasoned musicians each with decades of experience in numerous bands. So, we’re “classics playing classics,” really.

Mimic is also a proud all-veteran band, with almost every branch of the Armed Forces represented by Darrin (Navy), Dennis and Greg (Marines), John (Army), and Sound Engineer Steve (Air Force).

We often get asked about our dapper shirts that we wear when we perform live. Usually in the form of “So whassup with the shirts?” We’re a very versatile band – we can either melt faces clean off with such classic rock burners as Brown Eyed Girl or Melissa, dominate your Friday night bowling league, or change your oil when you’re not looking. It’s all part of the Mimic experience.

Meet the band:

Darrin Mlaker (Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar, Keyboard, Harmonica, Tambourine, Shaker, and anything else the band deems necessary for a song). Darrin has been playing music and performing in bands for over 30 years and started out playing bass guitar. After the loss of a singer (still can’t find him), Darrin was asked to do the vocals and to everyone's surprise (including his own) he could actually carry a tune and has been singing ever since. Darrin has lived in the Colorado Springs area for 20+ years and in that time has been in several bands including Shots of James, The Mark, Third Leg Up, and Audiophile. He started Mimic alongside Dennis in April of 2022. Darrin has learned the guitar, keyboard, and harmonica for this band. His extended musical abilities also include the somewhat scarce and not collector's edition of the Party City slide flute which makes very rare appearances. Keep an eye out!!

Dennis Bradley (Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals, Musical Director, Band Secretary, Website Manager, Personal Assistant to Mr. Mlaker, Mr. Taves, and Mr. Simons). Dennis has been playing music for over 40 years. His first instrument was the saxophone, but once he discovered Jimi Hendrix he quickly realized that the saxophone sounds nothing like the electric guitar. While growing up in Michigan, he played in numerous local bands that went absolutely nowhere. From 1990 to 1995, he served as a military musician with the United States Marines, playing over 400 shows per year around the country and in foreign countries such as Canada, Bermuda, and Alabama. In recent years, he played with local Colorado Springs band Audiophile and Metallica tribute project Damaged Justice before forming Mimic in April of 2022. A multi-instrumentalist, in addition to playing guitar Dennis also plays electric bass, mandolin, and ukelele. But definitely not saxophone – ever again.

John Taves (Lead Bass Guitar, Backing Vocals…way back, and just generally a delight to be around).  John has been playing bass for creeping up on 40 years after first seeing Iron Maiden’s Live After Death VHS concert video and deciding that wearing striped spandex pants and threatening people with a 4 string was a life goal.  John joined his first of many cover bands in high school and mixed in a few original projects and a tribute band along the way.  Living in Germany for 15 years after the Army was kind enough to move him there in the late 90s, he was able to add Germany, France, Austria, Belgium, and The Netherlands to his list of places that allowed him to get on a stage.  Surprisingly, a couple of those places allowed him to do it more than once, too!  After returning to the States and hoping to be allowed to play shows within 300 feet of a school or church, he retired the striped spandex pants.  Moving to the area in 2021 it took a minute to find a project that fit, but he is now thrilled to join Mimic and bring the average height of the band down to a more reasonable level.  

Greg Simons (Drums & Backing Vocals). Greg joined Mimic in April of 2025, and by his own admission, this has been the most important life event for him thus far. Although the details of his life prior to are quite inconsequential, he does admit to singing in groups since the 4th grade, to include choirs and barber shop quartets, among others. Once the barber shop staff told him to leave, he picked up a set of drumsticks and found his true calling. From 1982 to 2004, he served as a military musician in the United States Marine Corps, stationed in South Carolina, Hawaii, Japan, Virginia, and California. He also performed in Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Germany, Guam, Tonga, The Solomon Islands, Kuwait, and Iraq (the last one was a ROUGH gig).  Serving as a drum major and band master later in his career, he established his dominance in ways other than throwing drumsticks at his bandmates (Darrin, Dennis, and John refuse to comment on the latter without the advice of their lawyers). Since retiring in Colorado Springs, he has played in numerous other bands to include WestRock, Insatiable, West Side Rhythm Kings, DDay Invasion, and Whiskey Kate.