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Elmhurst block party stages two concerts

Two bands, The Ginger Snaps and the Atomic Shadows, will perform free concerts Wednesday, July 5, as part of the Elmhurst City Centre's Block to Block Party series.

The Ginger Snaps will take the stage at 5:30 p.m. at the City Centre Plaza.

Meanwhile, the Atomic Shadows will perform at the same time at the Elmhurst 255 Plaza, 255 N. York Road. The plaza site includes a lawn perfect for bringing a blanket or chair.

The Ginger Snaps features Wes Cichosz, Caitlin Simone and Nick Kitsos. Cichosz recently released his new album, "The Moon Threads a Needle." Simone is a co-leader of the Evolution. Kitsos also plays in his own band, was a member of the BoDeans and has performed and recorded with such names as Jeff Tweedy, Michael McDermott, Sheryl Crow, Billy Corgan and Jennifer Hudson.

"We play some original music, along with playing popular music from the last 40 years with our own unique arrangement," Cichosz said. "You'll hear anything from Rihanna to Frank Sinatra, from the Beatles to the blues."

Atomic Shadows, meanwhile, is led by David Connell and Jeff Campbell, who met at an open mic night in Elmhurst 20 years ago and have been playing music together ever since. The duo plays acoustic covers of rock 'n' roll songs from the '60s to now, with a heavy influence from the local Chicago radio rock station, WXRT's playlist.

You'll hear a variety of songs covered, from the Pretenders to Foster the People, to Bruce Springsteen to Dave Matthews.

Connell says he enjoys playing in smaller community settings such as the Block to Block Party.

"It's easier to get our family and friends out to see us," he says. "We seek out smaller, more intimate settings. It suits our sound and we can play at a volume level everyone is happy with."

Elmhurst City Centre's mission is to make the downtown a destination for consumers through concerted efforts in marketing and special events, physical appearance standards and improvements, and business retention and recruitment.

For details, visit elmhurstcitycentre.com or call (630) 993-1600.

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