If you’re looking for a place where you can not only listen to live music, but also get up and dance, then check out Armonk House.
The bar and restaurant has live music most Friday and Saturday nights, and DJ’s on Thursdays. Owner Connie Petrovich, a warm, friendly woman who goes out of her way to make sure all her guests feel welcome, said she “grew up in the restaurant business” starting at age three when her parents bought George’s Lounge in Pelham. The former owner of the Parkway Grill in Yonkers, Petrovich acted as the general contractor when designing the space and even had a hand in dismantling the 200-year-old barn whose wood adorns some walls. Her sister Terry Petrovich helped pick out the antique fixtures which give the restaurant its eclectic charm.
Exit 5, described by the band’s drummer Jeff Silverman as “a bunch of dads from the Bedford area playing five decades of rock,” was on tap for the bar and restaurant’s first anniversary bash in November, playing a mix of classic rock covers, pop, punk, and current indie favorites spanning the 60s through today. When they started their set with Van Morrison’s “Brown-Eyed Girl,” our favorite, my husband and I knew we’d come to the right place. Joining Silverman were lead singer-guitarists Brian Belfiglio and Lee Davis, bassist Dave Wills, and Dan Paige on keyboard.
As on other nights when there’s music, while diners are still eating, they kept their ballads mellow, but then the center tables were pushed aside so the crowd had room to dance.
Cal Kramer, the drummer from Blond Ambition, another band that plays there, was at the one-year celebration with his wife. A realtor in his day job, Kramer has been a musician for 50 years as have most of the members of his group. “When I play music I feel like I go on vacation for three hours,” he said. Blond Ambition’s repertoire includes a wide range of classic rock “from Tom Petty to Fleetwood Mac and a lot of eclectic stuff,” he said. He looks forward to their next gig there scheduled for the night before Thanksgiving. “I like Connie, she’s getting good bands,” he said.
Petrovich said she loves how the people of Armonk have embraced her.
Sam Sorentino, a musician who has played there and who helps schedule the bands, said that “word got out” and bands are now calling them to play.
The December lineup: Dec. 1 and 15 Dance Party Meetup group with DJ Joe, Dec. 3 Innuendo, Dec. 9 Night Train, Dec. 16 Bookends, Dec 17 The Little Black Dress, Dec. 22 Duke and Damien, Dec. 23 Group Therapy. There’s also a fundraiser for the Heavenly Production Foundation on Dec. 18. The music generally starts at 9:30 and there is usually no cover charge. Check the website www.armonkhouse.com for additional information and New Year’s Eve announcements.
Looking for a cozy bistro with small romantic tables, farm fresh food and inventive cocktails where you can hear jazz on a Saturday night? Then head down to Chappaqua Station, opened by restaurateurs and jazz aficionados Erin and Peter Chase last year.
