By ELLIOT HARRIS

Staff Writer

Fans of local band Rivers Indiana got the chance to jam with them last Thursday at the Baptist Collegiate Ministry.

The band, which consists of Justin Delatte, a senior photography major, on guitar; Chet Harvey, a student at East Texas Baptist College, on bass; Justin Martin, a senior architecture major, on drums; Chris McPeters, a junior graphic design major, on guitar, and Brent Skinner, a senior health and exercise major, on guitar and vocals, has been rocking together for three years.

Mark Craig, a sophomore finance major, said the show was great.

"There was a lot of diverse talent," Craig said. "Everyone had a great message and said what they needed to say."

Rivers Indiana performed songs from its latest CD, recorded in early March in Little Rock, Ark.

"You're Not the Average Astronaut," one of Skinner's favorite songs, talks about a budding relationship. There are different parts to the song, but it flows and abstains from choppiness or repetitiveness.

"We could talk science or anything you like/anything to make you feel like we do at night," the songs says.

"Glorious You," the slowest of the four tracks on the CD, is keyboard driven and has a lot of harmony. Instrumentals precede the lyrics that offer praise to God for being there and being awesome.

"You washed away all my pain/and took me from the place/I had grown so accustomed to/glorious you," Skinner sings.

The traditionally structured rock song titled "Your Eyes Are the Wires," says no one is strong but to hold on. There will be problems, and people will not come out of them without God and his guidance.

Hilary Simmons, a junior elementary education major, said she enjoyed the band's performance.

"I liked it. They were very good," Simmons said. "Their music is fun to listen to and has a good beat. They seemed to have the most fans, and people knew their music pretty well."

The band, formed in the summer of 2001, completed its first album in February of 2003 and sold almost 500 copies. Harvey said the group has grown since its first release.

"We went in a different direction," Harvey said. "We got a keyboard, there is more piano [in the songs], and we slowed it down. There's more diversity; we're expanding our horizons."

After three years of rock 'n' roll, Rivers Indiana will disband.

Harvey said the group has no definite plans as of yet but are still friends. He said it is "time to move on to different things."

Skinner said if the opportunity was to come up, all of the members would like to sing professionally.

Skinner joked that the band was also breaking up out of pity for other bands.

"We want to give the other bands a chance with the ladies," he said.

Rivers Indiana's farewell performances will be held Saturday at Cottonport Coffeehouse in Monroe and June 4 in Shreveport.