Yesterday, one of the buses used by the Grateful Dead from 1967-1985 was made available for viewing in front of the Hard Rock Cafn Cleveland. Dubbed Sugar Magnolia, the red, white and blue painted 1965 Gillig bus was purchased by actor Butch Patrick (Eddie Munster from the ’60s sitcom, The Munsters). Folks were able to check out the place where band members reportedly hung out with guests such as Jimi Hendrix, the Who, John Lennon and others. The bus’s bohemian studio apartment atmosphere features posters and stickers relating to the band and Bay Area events lining the ceiling, a couch, bed, stove and a couple small tables.
The passing of years hasn’t been kind to Sugar Mag with water and rust damage taken place and an engine that needs to be fixed. (It arrived in Cleveland on a flatbed.) It’s now being restored at the Volo Museum in Illinois with plans to bring a pristine-looking version to Vegoose in Las Vegas in late October. For more information on the project visit Sugarmagnoliabus.com. Report by John Patrick Gatta