Thursday • June 26, 1997
Entertainment
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!K:
aying it all on the line
Christian rock hand offers something different to Texas music
By Jenny Vrnak
The Battalion
gi Celebrating the release of its debut album, First
Importance (1 Corinthians 15), the Christian
nei ijgroup Plumbline rolls into College Station Fri-
lynight to perform at 3rd Floor Cantina.
Plumbline formed a little over a year ago when its
|mj embers met at a church youth camp in Central
■xas. Plumbline's music is based on a mixture of
lam lands, and has been compared to groups like Caed-
Ifact ion’s Call.
ipK Rita Brown, who assists with the band’s booking
inti idmanagement, said the sound is unique.
iRaz Their sound is very different,” Brown said. “They
issii teto call it folk/acoustic.”
Iheai Plumbline members are preparing for a summer
Hit through Texas, where they will play at concerts,
tnefits, rallies and youth events.
Singer and guitarist Jeff Wisener said all of the
’inbers have quit their jobs for the tour.
“We’re going to do the band full-time now,” he said.
The band members have a mission statement in
I
I
which they share Plumbline’s goals and its purpose.
“The group’s number one goal is to share Jesus
Christ,” Wisener said. “We want to do this as long as
we can.”
Based out of Central Texas, the group plays many
concerts in the Salado, Temple and Belton areas.
Plumbline also has concerts scheduled later this sum
mer in Copperas Cove, Latham Springs and on July 19,
at the Mayborn Civic Center.
Lisa Eckstrum, who also helps with the band’s
management, said people should definitely see the
group perform if they get the chance.
“It’s great because at their concerts, they put up
the lyrics so that the crowd can sing along with them,”
Eckstrum said. “Plus, they’re all young and good-look
ing and, at the same time, they’re good influences.”
The band’s first release from the album is a song ti
tled “Spinnin’,” which has been receiving airtime by
local radio personalities. The entire album is com
prised of original songs written by the group’s mem
bers and will be available at the concerts and in mu
sic stores across Texas.
Plumbline’s members are hoping this concert and
many more like it will help introduce a lot of people
to music they may not have heard before.
“The music is us,” Wisener said. “The message is
Jesus Christ. We play what we hear.”
Wisener said they have seen many people in the
audiences come to know Jesus at almost every event
they have played.
“People learn through the music,” he said. “We
don’t preach in our show — we just share.”
Plumbline members hope the release of the first
album and the tour this summer will help get the
band started. Wisener said much of the band’s future
is dependent on the success of this album.
“We started working on this album last December,”
he said. “We hope to start working on another one this
Decfember, but right now, we’re doing all we can to sell
this one and get going.”
Eckstrum said spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ
is what motivates the band members to work hard,
rather than money or fame.
“They are not trying to get rich,” Eckstrum said.
“They are just trying to have fun and make a decent
living while spreading the gospel at the same time.”
Plumbline will perform Friday at 3rd Floor Cantina in Bryan.
Batman & Robin: Star cast fails to fly
By Chris Brooks
The Battalion
A rnold Schwarzenegger is
billed over George Clooney—
Batman. This causes horrible
flashbacks of how Batman Forever
was about Jim Carrey (not The Rid-
dler), but the movie-goer’s fears are
not realized in Batman and Robin. It
really is a good movie.
The movie gets to a quick start as
Batman and Robin are summoned to
stop a museum robbery by Mr. Freeze
(Schwarzenegger). The caped cru
saders attempt to foil the robbery, but
fail because of Robin’s (Chris O’Don
nell) youthful recklessness — a sub
plot that resurfaces throughout the
film. The scene immediately shifts to a
laboratory in South America where
the transformation of Pamela Isley
(Uma Thurman) into Poison Ivy and
the creation of Bane (Jeep Swenson)
are witnessed. Soon after, Barbara
Wilson (Alicia Silverstone) — destined
to become Batgirl—arrives at the
front door ofWayne Manor.
Freeze and Ivy are interesting
characters that hold rather well
to Batman tradition. Victor Fries
is a scientist who is forced to live
Batman and Robin
Starring George Clooney, Chris
O’Donnell, Alicia Silverstone and
Arnold Schwarzenneger
Directed by Joel Schumacher
Rated PG-13
Playing at Hollywood 16
★★ 1/2
in sub-zero temperatures be
cause of a lab accident. He is dri
ven by his desire to save his
young wife, and resorts to de
stroying the world to avenge her
death and make others share his
pain. Poison Ivy, on the other
hand, is a certifiable nut. She is
an eco-terrorist who believes hu
manity should be destroyed for
what it has done to the earth.
One major disappointment of the
movie is Bane. Bane is a moronic,
hulking strong man who cannot
speak more than two grunted words
at a time, rather than the clever hulk
who nearly destroyed Batman in
Knightfall. Bane deserves his own
movie, not the treatment he receives
in Batman and Robin.
The movie has a number of funny
one-liners and, being a Batman
movie, is full of gadgets and vehicles.
Some of the gadgets are a little silly,
such as ice skates in Batman and
Robin’s boots for their first encounter
with Freeze. The nipples on Batman
and Robin’s (but not Batgirl’s — sorry,
guys) costumes are a bit much, as
well. Nothing is too bad, though —
nothing as bad as the “anti-shark
Batspray” in the ’60s Batman movie.
Joel Schumacher has apparently
found a happy medium between the
traditional dark, haunted Batman he
hates and the silly world he created.
for Batman Forever. Both villains and
all the heroes get a good share of the
screen, and there are only a few silly
scenes — although it starts to slip a
little toward the end.
The movie also features a num
ber of celebrity cameos such as
Elle McPherson as Bruce Wayne’s
love interest.
Batman and Robin loses a star for
the nipples in the costumes, a half
star for its treatment of Bane and the
ending and a star for a completely
unnecessary song that is just too silly
to be excused. Overall, though, Bat
man and Robin has plenty of explo
sions, interesting characters and a
pretty good story. The ending is a bit
weak, but it’s a nice ride.
Above) Arnold Schwarzenegger stars as Mr. Freeze in Batman and Robin. (Right) Other stars of the Warner
irothers movie are Alicia Silverstone as Batgirl, George Clooney as Batman and Chris O'Donnell as Robin.
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TERRACE
PLACE
APARTMENTS
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• 2 Swimming Pools
§ Swimming Pool
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§ Covered Parking
• Covered Parking
*9 Walking Distance
• Water &: Cable Paid
to Campus
Free Bus Pass or
§ 1,2 & 3 Bedrooms
$100 gift certificate at Pothers
with lease signing.
1700 George Bush Dr.
401 Harvey Road
College Station
College Station
693-1930
693-ini
MONTERREY
APARTMENTS
0 Swimming Pool
0 Laundry Facility
0 Water & Sewer Paid
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0 Vaulted Ceilings
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0 Abundant Parking
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2000 Kazmeier
Bryan
268-0840
PROFITABLE
NUMBER!
845-0569 The Battalion Classified Advertising
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