Two-Week Gig Stretches Into 15 Years

Come Friday night, there’s really only one place any self-respecting dance nut cares to be.

Every weekend, the Brotherhood of Friends lodge on West Third Avenue serves up dinner and the smooth sounds of the big-band era. The latter comes courtesy of Expo 4.

The four members of the band began playing their swinging tunes at the BOF lodge 15 years ago.

It was only supposed to be a two-week contract. They just never left.

Now, the silver-haired gents draw loyal crowds onto the dimmed dance floor Friday and Saturday nights.

The music starts promptly at 7. By 7:02, three couples glide across the floor. By 7:30, chairs are empty and the floor is filled with twirling skirts and glittering sequins and dancers moving to “Moonglow” and “I Don’t Know Why.”

Pitchers of water far outnumber bottles of Bud Light on the tables. Conversations are often postponed midsentence when the opening notes of a favorite tune begins.

It’s all about dancing.

“There’s very little drinking,” said Mary Bronson. “We’re all much too busy.”

Just then, she’s whisked off by her husband to dance to “Tangerine,” one of their favorites.

Expo 4 is the best-kept secret in town, say regulars.

Gene and Mary Bronson dance nearly every Friday night away at the lodge. The two high school sweethearts have been dancing together since 1937. Expo 4 flows like no other, Gene Bronson says.

“Dancing to them is like shedding a winter coat compared with other bands,” he said.

The band is made up of Gunnar Munther, Gene Carpenter, Dan Davis and Bob Itterman. Munther’s on drums, and Carpenter on piano and accordion. Davis plays bass and piano, and Itterman plays trombone and trumpet. All four take turns on vocals.

Carpenter and Munther are originals, having been with the band since it formed in 1973. They named it for the world fair planned for Spokane. Davis joined in 1976, and Itterman followed in 1982.

All four are lifelong musicians.

Carpenter, 81, regularly played at dances. “It was great money,” he said. “But I never did get to go to a high school dance; I was always playing.”

Davis remembers playing at style shows for $5 a gig at age 13.

“That was good money,” he said. The secret of their longstanding success?

“We try to do it with enthusiasm,” said Itterman.

Flexibility is also key. They’ll take any requests - the four can play most anything - from Willie Nelson to sambas.

“We did try rap once, but …,” Itterman said with a wink.

Oh, yes - fun is also required. The four men lob jokes back and forth across the stage as they play. They tease the crowd and add spicy little riffs to the ends of songs.

They enjoy their work.

For what began as a two-week contract, they figure they’re not doing so badly.

“We’ve been blessed that we’ve been able to keep going in good health,” said Munther. “We’re just proud we’re still going.”

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: PERFORMANCE TIMES Expo 4 plays Friday and Saturday nights from 7 to 11 p.m. at the Brotherhood of Friends lodge, 933 W. Third. The cover charge is $4 for members, $6 for non members. The cover is waived with dinner.

This story also ran in the North Side Voice on January 8, 1998, page N6, in the column Cross-town Neighbors: News from the South Side.