Bleak Mystique released ten songs in 2021 (plus two Christmas ditties), eleven songs in 2022 (plus an eight-track B-side live album) and three singles in 2023. How did the band do it?
"We take the writing process seriously and work hard," answers Bleak Mystique's frontman, guitarist and lead writer, 23-year-old Sam Shapiro. "We enjoy what we do, so we don't think of it as labor; music-making is all I think about."
The band has gone through several iterations, but all have included Shapiro and 22-year-old bassist and backing vocalist Aidan Hutchings. They met at the University of Denver in 2018 and played together in a couple of other bands before forming Bleak Mystique in the spring of 2021.
"Sam and I started this group after another group we were playing with was defeated by COVID," says Hutchings. "We wanted to redefine our sound with the two of us, and that was when Bleak Mystique was created."
The indie alternative band worked as a trio for a while, with a couple of different drummers temporarily joining the band. "We held auditions to find a permanent drummer, and we had a bunch of people try out, but Eli was clearly the best," Hutchings recalls.
Eli Goroff-Behel, a twenty-year-old drummer who moved to Denver from Chicago, meshed well with Hutchings and Shapiro's musical sensibilities. "It's been easy for us to all come together in the rehearsal room," says Goroff-Behel. "I quickly understood what they were looking for; Sam can just play a riff on the guitar, and I immediately hear how it's all going to fit together when I apply it to the drum."
His bandmates refer to Goroff-Behel as a "drum god" who knows how to get a crowd hyped. "Some drummers are silent, unspoken heroes, but Eli likes to perform and put on a show," says Shapiro.
While happy to find a permanent drummer, Hutchings and Shapiro were still looking for one more bandmate. All of Bleak Mystique's recordings include additional instruments, so they were hoping to find another musician to play those parts during the band's live shows.
Mitch Segura, a 21-year-old friend of Shapiro's girlfriend, attended Bleak Mystique's performance at Lost Lake in 2022, and was really impressed with the group's sound. While talking with the band after the show, he was offered an opportunity to join as the rhythm guitarist, keyboard player and backing vocalist.
Now a foursome, the band has continued to develop its output through experimentation and attributes its unique sound to the variety of music its members listen to. "I'm a big fan of the Beatles, and that has found its way into our sound," says Shapiro. "I'm also a Foster the People superfan. Lately, I’ve been into [Frédéric] Chopin and this experimental rock band called Swans. Everything I listen to finds its way into our music."
Hutchings brings his love of blues and soul to the guitar parts. "I’ll pick up on things that I enjoy, whether it's a certain lick or sound, that I can add to my repertoire," says Hutchings. "Love Apple's self-titled album has been really influential for me, especially in terms of songwriting."
Goroff-Behel pulls from a number of influences for the beats he creates. "I listen to genres like dubstep, country, pop, pop-punk and trap," he says. "I feel like even though I listen to more electronic music, when we come into rehearsal, what I really bring to the group is that pop element."
Rounding out Bleak Mystique's influences, Segura brings his knowledge of jazz to the group. "I attend CU Boulder and study jazz guitar," he notes. "I love jazz harmonies, especially the ones created by Wayne Shorter. I listen to a lot of jazz as part of my degree, but I have everything from indie music to rap to Motown on shuffle and just bounce from genre to genre."
The band has released three singles this year, including "Separation Anxiety" on April 14, which was the first track written by Segura; it plans to release more music soon, including a handful of re-recorded sessions courtesy of KMG Studios and Lance Townsend Studios.
"Most of the songs are mine," says Shapiro, adding that the band will get more prolific with Segura now writing, too. "I'm really excited for people to listen to some of the stuff we are working on now because we have some exciting stuff coming down the pike."
Along with working on those new songs, Bleak Mystique has been playing local gigs at venues like Lost Lake Lounge, Goosetown Tavern, Club 156 and the Fox Theatre.
"As much as you want to rehearse, you can only get so good by practicing; shows are like ten rehearsals in one," says Shapiro. "We just play a lot around Colorado and are excited about our first multi-state tour."
Bleak Mystique just got back from traveling across New Mexico and Arizona, where the band played at Second Street Brewery in Santa Fe, Juno Brewery in Albuquerque, the Timeout Lounge in Tempe and the Rhythm Room in Phoenix.
"We tried to plot something linear and book shows with local people," says Shapiro. "This was more of a chance to go out and see if we could handle the logistics of a tour." The tour will conclude with two performances this weekend: at Globe Hall today, April 21, and at the Blast N Bowl in Broomfield on April 26.
"Bleak Mystique has a lot of tentative plans for the rest of the year," says Shapiro. "We are definitely going to put out some more music, and are looking into doing another tour over the summer. Folks should come to see us at our shows around Colorado, because we are just going to keep putting out music, building traction and getting better."
"We take the writing process seriously and work hard," answers Bleak Mystique's frontman, guitarist and lead writer, 23-year-old Sam Shapiro. "We enjoy what we do, so we don't think of it as labor; music-making is all I think about."
The band has gone through several iterations, but all have included Shapiro and 22-year-old bassist and backing vocalist Aidan Hutchings. They met at the University of Denver in 2018 and played together in a couple of other bands before forming Bleak Mystique in the spring of 2021.
"Sam and I started this group after another group we were playing with was defeated by COVID," says Hutchings. "We wanted to redefine our sound with the two of us, and that was when Bleak Mystique was created."
The indie alternative band worked as a trio for a while, with a couple of different drummers temporarily joining the band. "We held auditions to find a permanent drummer, and we had a bunch of people try out, but Eli was clearly the best," Hutchings recalls.
Eli Goroff-Behel, a twenty-year-old drummer who moved to Denver from Chicago, meshed well with Hutchings and Shapiro's musical sensibilities. "It's been easy for us to all come together in the rehearsal room," says Goroff-Behel. "I quickly understood what they were looking for; Sam can just play a riff on the guitar, and I immediately hear how it's all going to fit together when I apply it to the drum."
His bandmates refer to Goroff-Behel as a "drum god" who knows how to get a crowd hyped. "Some drummers are silent, unspoken heroes, but Eli likes to perform and put on a show," says Shapiro.
While happy to find a permanent drummer, Hutchings and Shapiro were still looking for one more bandmate. All of Bleak Mystique's recordings include additional instruments, so they were hoping to find another musician to play those parts during the band's live shows.
Mitch Segura, a 21-year-old friend of Shapiro's girlfriend, attended Bleak Mystique's performance at Lost Lake in 2022, and was really impressed with the group's sound. While talking with the band after the show, he was offered an opportunity to join as the rhythm guitarist, keyboard player and backing vocalist.
Aidan Hutchings, Mitch Segura, Eli Goroff-Behel and Sam Shapiro are Bleak Mystique.
Isabel Benneyworth
Hutchings brings his love of blues and soul to the guitar parts. "I’ll pick up on things that I enjoy, whether it's a certain lick or sound, that I can add to my repertoire," says Hutchings. "Love Apple's self-titled album has been really influential for me, especially in terms of songwriting."
Goroff-Behel pulls from a number of influences for the beats he creates. "I listen to genres like dubstep, country, pop, pop-punk and trap," he says. "I feel like even though I listen to more electronic music, when we come into rehearsal, what I really bring to the group is that pop element."
Rounding out Bleak Mystique's influences, Segura brings his knowledge of jazz to the group. "I attend CU Boulder and study jazz guitar," he notes. "I love jazz harmonies, especially the ones created by Wayne Shorter. I listen to a lot of jazz as part of my degree, but I have everything from indie music to rap to Motown on shuffle and just bounce from genre to genre."
The band has released three singles this year, including "Separation Anxiety" on April 14, which was the first track written by Segura; it plans to release more music soon, including a handful of re-recorded sessions courtesy of KMG Studios and Lance Townsend Studios.
"Most of the songs are mine," says Shapiro, adding that the band will get more prolific with Segura now writing, too. "I'm really excited for people to listen to some of the stuff we are working on now because we have some exciting stuff coming down the pike."
Along with working on those new songs, Bleak Mystique has been playing local gigs at venues like Lost Lake Lounge, Goosetown Tavern, Club 156 and the Fox Theatre.
"As much as you want to rehearse, you can only get so good by practicing; shows are like ten rehearsals in one," says Shapiro. "We just play a lot around Colorado and are excited about our first multi-state tour."
Bleak Mystique just got back from traveling across New Mexico and Arizona, where the band played at Second Street Brewery in Santa Fe, Juno Brewery in Albuquerque, the Timeout Lounge in Tempe and the Rhythm Room in Phoenix.
"We tried to plot something linear and book shows with local people," says Shapiro. "This was more of a chance to go out and see if we could handle the logistics of a tour." The tour will conclude with two performances this weekend: at Globe Hall today, April 21, and at the Blast N Bowl in Broomfield on April 26.
"Bleak Mystique has a lot of tentative plans for the rest of the year," says Shapiro. "We are definitely going to put out some more music, and are looking into doing another tour over the summer. Folks should come to see us at our shows around Colorado, because we are just going to keep putting out music, building traction and getting better."
Bleak Mystique joins the Academic w/Holdfast., 8 p.m. Friday, April 21, at Globe Hall, 4483 Logan Street; get tickets, $20, here. For more information, check out bleakmystique.com.
