Last spring semester, every single Tuesday night, my friends and I would gather around someone's 10-inch laptop and wait for the video to be uploaded. The second it was up, we would all go silent, entranced by the video before our eyes. Two guys in their early twenties take up the screen, with unbelievable freestyle coming from the mouth of the taller brunette, Cal Shapiro, while the original background music is mixed and produced by Rob "Rez"Resnick. The result: complete musical genius wrapped up in this duo otherwise known as "Timeflies." And the best part is, we all have the chance to see them live tonight at St. Mary's College for the annual Tostal concert, presented by the Student Activities Board (SAB).
Starting in the spring of 2011, the guys started posting these weekly Timeflies Tuesday videos, building an enormous virtual audience with views reaching higher than half a million. Fame was never the goal for these guys who just had a passion for music and decided to post it online. Graduates from Tufts University, the two have been friends since college and clearly just want to have a good time. Their videos show the two of them doing anything, ranging from drinking in their apartment to taking pictures with fans to playing video games on the couch. The fact that they are so real, like any other college kids, makes them even more appealing. Their good looks don't hurt their image, either. There is hardly a video that doesn't show mobs of girls (and guys) with their hands up screaming just to get a high-five from Cal or Rez.
Timeflies performs original songs as well as covers. However, even their covers have original elements, including freestyle rap and original beats. The most impressive videos of Cal are those in which he draws random words out of hats and fits them perfectly into his own verses of each song. I am amazed as he glances at the word, then rhymes it with a line just a few seconds later. In interviews, he says while rapping he has to completely clear his mind and just be in the moment, not to mention he is usually holding a bottle of scotch in one hand, which helps the words flow. Their first album, appropriately titled "The Scotch Tape," features 11 irresistible original songs and is available on iTunes. My favorite tracks, however, are the ones featured in their weekly YouTube videos. With remixed versions of both classic and top 40 songs, the duo has created quite the party playlist. One of their most popular songs is "Under the Sea," a mix-up of the beloved Disney song with a Jamaican steel drum played by Rez in the background. The fact that they even came up with the idea to add rap to a song from Ariel proves their creativity. Their ideas are all original and never-ending.
A close second favorite of mine right below "Under the Sea" is their Taylor Swift-themed video. After getting a new Taylor guitar, Rez and Cal decided to create a mash-up of all of Swift's most popular songs. Using an acoustic version of "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" for the base layer, Cal sings lyrics from several different songs, including "Both of Us" and "You Belong With Me." The result is a chilled-out version of the pop songs, arguably better than Taylor's original tracks (coming from a T. Swift fan, that's saying something).
If you haven't already heard of them, now's the time to YouTube "Timeflies" and start listening to their original songs before tonight's concert. Grab your tickets by calling the Moreau Center Box Office at (574) 284-4626 , that is, if there are any left. The doors open at 7 p.m; I'll be the one camped out in front of O'Laughlin Theater ready to storm in and snag my front row seats. See you there!
Contact Maddie Daly at mdaly2@nd.edu
