Burr Ridge Bar Set To Break Promise To Village

BURR RIDGE, IL — You would think a bar called "Are We Live?" would have live music. It's in the name.

But the lounge's representative specifically promised last year it would not have live music, only the piped-in variety. That was after neighbors expressed concerns about noise.

Last summer, the Village Board approved the bar's special use permit, but did not include a condition on live music. Now, Are We Live is set to break its word to the community.

Next Thursday, singer Tony Ocean is slated to perform at Are We Live and plans to do so most Thursdays over the next couple of months. He revealed the plan on Capri Ristorante's Instagram page recently and included the Are We Live events to his online calendar. Capri and Are We Live, both in County Line Square, are owned by Burr Ridge's Filippo "Gigi" Rovito.

Capri Ristorante confirmed Ocean was set to perform. Rovito himself did not return a message for comment.

Last April, Sandy Andrews, a general contractor who represented Rovito in the permitting process, was clear about the music plan in an email to Doug Pollock, then a zoning official for the village.

"There will be no live entertainment at Are We Live," Andrews said. "The only music that there will be is what is piped in through the speakers."

A few months earlier, Rovito said in a since-deleted Instagram video that the plan was for live music, which sparked a torrent of comments to the village about noise concerns.

But after Andrews' email, village officials acknowledged the change in plans.

"There was an original request for live music at AWL — like we allow at all restaurants," Mayor Gary Grasso said in a piece he posted on Patch last April. "But AWL withdrew the request for live music. It is asking only to play background music from speakers that also is allowed in many of our restaurants."

Patch reported numerous times throughout the hearing process about Are We Live's promise not to have live music, based on the statement from Andrews.

Patch asked Grasso about the change of plans at Are We Live.

Grasso said if the village's Plan Commission or Village Board did not set a condition on music, then the promise does not serve as one.

"I think the important issue — as with all our restaurants that have piped-in or live music — is to comply with the noise ordinance," the mayor said in an email. "I encourage live music at our restaurants - such as Cooper’s Hawk, Eddie Merlot’s and Topaz — that all have live music from time to time. It is especially fun to me when it’s outdoors such as on Topaz’s patio in the summer or when Eddie’s had it in its tent."