LATEST NEWS:
ANNOUNCING THE MAGIC BUS
'FARE THEE WELL' (almost) FINAL PERFORMANCE
Yes, it's true. Grateful Gary's Magic Bus will go on hiatus following an acoustic trio gig on May 24. But our big 'send off' show for all the fans will take place Sunday, Apr. 27, 2025, at On Tour Brewing in Chicago. The band will play all its best tunes and there may even be some 'special guests' who will sit it.
Now in its 25th year, Grateful Gary's Magic Bus started as 'Grateful Gary and Friends' back in 2000 (after Gary had played three years with The Schwag). Once the band settled into a steady lineup, rather than a rotating cast of backup players, the renamed 'Magic Bus' was born.
With Gary's upcoming relocation to Southern Illinois, Magic Bus may still make a Chicago-area appearance later in the year. But regular, steady gigs at the band's usual rotation of clubs will come to an end.
Also, this website (GratefulGary.com) will go away in May. But you can still check what's going on via Facebook.com/MagicBusChicago
So please join Gary, Caeli, Brian and Jeff for one final frolic, and wish us "Fare Thee Well", on 4/27/2025 at On Tour Brewing. Music starts at 3pm and is scheduled to end at 6pm... but who knows how long the encore will go!
'FARE THEE WELL' (almost) FINAL PERFORMANCE
Yes, it's true. Grateful Gary's Magic Bus will go on hiatus following an acoustic trio gig on May 24. But our big 'send off' show for all the fans will take place Sunday, Apr. 27, 2025, at On Tour Brewing in Chicago. The band will play all its best tunes and there may even be some 'special guests' who will sit it.
Now in its 25th year, Grateful Gary's Magic Bus started as 'Grateful Gary and Friends' back in 2000 (after Gary had played three years with The Schwag). Once the band settled into a steady lineup, rather than a rotating cast of backup players, the renamed 'Magic Bus' was born.
With Gary's upcoming relocation to Southern Illinois, Magic Bus may still make a Chicago-area appearance later in the year. But regular, steady gigs at the band's usual rotation of clubs will come to an end.
Also, this website (GratefulGary.com) will go away in May. But you can still check what's going on via Facebook.com/MagicBusChicago
So please join Gary, Caeli, Brian and Jeff for one final frolic, and wish us "Fare Thee Well", on 4/27/2025 at On Tour Brewing. Music starts at 3pm and is scheduled to end at 6pm... but who knows how long the encore will go!
FINAL 2025 GIGS:
Thur., Apr. 24, 2025 - Magic Bus electric trio
Ballydoyle / Downers Grove
7:30-10pm
Sun., Apr. 27, 2025 - Magic Bus 'Fare Thee Well (almost) Final Gig'
4-pc electric with possible guests
On Tour Brewing Co. / Chicago
3pm - ???
Sat., May 10, 2025 - Magic Bus acoustic trio
Gray's Mill / Montgomery
7:30-10pm
Thur., Apr. 24, 2025 - Magic Bus electric trio
Ballydoyle / Downers Grove
7:30-10pm
Sun., Apr. 27, 2025 - Magic Bus 'Fare Thee Well (almost) Final Gig'
4-pc electric with possible guests
On Tour Brewing Co. / Chicago
3pm - ???
Sat., May 10, 2025 - Magic Bus acoustic trio
Gray's Mill / Montgomery
7:30-10pm
Hands down, the Magic Bus performance on Sunday (Feb. 16) at On Tour Brewing was our best ever!
Also, it was clearly the most fans who ever came to enjoy the band--every seat at every table and along the bar was filled. And it was SRO (standing room only), even more than our last gig at On Tour.
Thank you, thank you to all the friends and family who came out!
(set list posted below)
If you were there, then you also heard the 'big announcement,' which is that Magic Bus will be coasting to a bit of a slow down after June 1. That doesn't mean we won't have an occasional gig in the Summer or Fall, so watch this space for announcements.
In the meantime, see below for a couple upcoming gigs, and watch for the announcement of the Magic Bus 'Farewell Show', in late April or May.
Also, it was clearly the most fans who ever came to enjoy the band--every seat at every table and along the bar was filled. And it was SRO (standing room only), even more than our last gig at On Tour.
Thank you, thank you to all the friends and family who came out!
(set list posted below)
If you were there, then you also heard the 'big announcement,' which is that Magic Bus will be coasting to a bit of a slow down after June 1. That doesn't mean we won't have an occasional gig in the Summer or Fall, so watch this space for announcements.
In the meantime, see below for a couple upcoming gigs, and watch for the announcement of the Magic Bus 'Farewell Show', in late April or May.
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Magic Bus
On Tour Brewing Co.
Sun. Feb. 16
1) Mexicali Blues, Candyman, Brown-Eyed Women, FOTD*, Stuck Inside of Mobile With the Memphis Blues Again, Up On Cripple Creek, Crazy Fingers > Mississippi Half-Step, You Ain't Woman Enough*, Let The Good Times Roll, Till the Morning Comes, It's All Over Now Baby Blue, And It Stoned Me, U.S. Blues, Casey Jones
2) Truckin' > Sgt. Pepper's medley, Angel From Montgomery*, BIODTL, When I Paint My Masterpiece, Don't Ease Me In, The Weight, Jolene*, Green Tambourine > Like a Rolling Stone, The Kids Are Alright, Cream Puff War, Scarlet Begonias, Oh! Darling*
E) UJB
*Caeli sings lead
On Tour Brewing Co.
Sun. Feb. 16
1) Mexicali Blues, Candyman, Brown-Eyed Women, FOTD*, Stuck Inside of Mobile With the Memphis Blues Again, Up On Cripple Creek, Crazy Fingers > Mississippi Half-Step, You Ain't Woman Enough*, Let The Good Times Roll, Till the Morning Comes, It's All Over Now Baby Blue, And It Stoned Me, U.S. Blues, Casey Jones
2) Truckin' > Sgt. Pepper's medley, Angel From Montgomery*, BIODTL, When I Paint My Masterpiece, Don't Ease Me In, The Weight, Jolene*, Green Tambourine > Like a Rolling Stone, The Kids Are Alright, Cream Puff War, Scarlet Begonias, Oh! Darling*
E) UJB
*Caeli sings lead
The awesome 'MB-Tron' is a guitar effects pedal handcrafted by Magic Bus bassist/vocalist Brian Hunsaker. Using a public-domain circuit diagram of Jerry Garcia's 'envelope follower' (or reverse wah-wah) pedal, the one-of-a-kind gizmo also is labeled the 'Grateful Gary Edition.' Featuring numerous control knobs and toggle switches, the MB-Tron successfully emulates the famous 'Mu-Tron' pedal that can be heard on Grateful Dead songs such as Estimated Prophet and Shakedown Street. It's the same sound used by famous players such as Frank Zappa, Stevie Wonder, Bootsy Collins, Andy Summers and many other.
Thanks, Brian --you are simply awesome!
Thanks, Brian --you are simply awesome!
Hey now! If you like cool tie-dye shirts, you've got to check out a new, Chicago-area shop that, hands down, makes the absolute BEST tie-dyes I've ever seen in my life!
It's "Rainbow Sunshine Dye by Sol," owned and operated by my friend Soledad ('Sol', for short). She uses an amazing dry ice technique for 'curing' the tie-dyes and the result is the most VIBRANT awesome colors that just jump off the shirt! (Check out the ultra-bright yellow and white custom tie-dye t-shirt that Sol made for me, that I wore when Magic Bus played the 'Dancing in the Streets' festival in Chicago on 8/4/23) >>> Take it from me, a guy who owns 30-40 tie-dyes --everything from premium companies like Electric Blue and Gypsy Rose to amateur tie-dyers who've offered their shirts at campground festivals I've attended-- "Rainbow Sunshine" is the best tie-dye shirt I've ever seen. Sol has nearly FIFTY different colors available, and she'll make you whatever you want --tshirt, hoodie, tapestry, whatever. She immediately answers all emails (and phone calls), has easy payment (Zelle, PayPal, Venmo) and ships your finished tie-dye right away (her shop is in the Chicago suburbs). Here's the website: www.facebook.com/rainbowsunshinedyebysol |
(band photo, following the Magic Bus performance at the 'Dancing in the Streets' festival in Chicago, on 8/4/23)
Grateful Gary is sporting the custom yellow-and-white tie-dye shirt crafted by 'Rainbow Sunshine Dye by Sol,' which makes all kinds of custom t-shirts, hoodies, tapestries, etc. in a variety of ultra-bright, vibrant colors. Check it out! |
Grateful Gary performed and audio-engineered over the 2024 Labor Day weekend (for the 11th straight year) at a festival event in West Virginia --attended by 1400 people! (--it's called "Old Timers Reunion"). He'll be doing it again in 2025!
Photo from the Grateful Gary-Brian acoustic duo at Gray's Mill in Montgomery on May 26, 2023.
R.I.P. Robbie Stokes
It's with regret that I share the news that my good friend Robbie Stokes lost a three-year battle with throat cancer (on May 14) and has now gone up to that "Great Gig in the Sky" (a Pink Floyd reference).
Robbie played on Mickey Hart's "Rolling Thunder" album and I was his bandmate in several combos down in Carbondale. He will be missed.
It's with regret that I share the news that my good friend Robbie Stokes lost a three-year battle with throat cancer (on May 14) and has now gone up to that "Great Gig in the Sky" (a Pink Floyd reference).
Robbie played on Mickey Hart's "Rolling Thunder" album and I was his bandmate in several combos down in Carbondale. He will be missed.
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WOW, what an incredible time was had when Grateful Gary played some recent shows on bass with country/punk Americana legend Jason Ringenberg, who he played with in the band Shakespeare's Riot back in Carbondale.
Jason is an incredible performer, who played at FarmAid (check his Wikipedia page) and has multiple solo- and full-band albums to his credit (--with Grateful Gary appearing on two of them)! www.jasonringenberg.com |
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MAGIC BUS is very grateful to the Downers Grove Rotary Club and all all the fans who came out to witness the band's biggest gig ever, on the Main Stage for Downers Grove's RotaryGrove Fest. An expanded SIX-PIECE band played an amazing 2-hour set, and it couldn't have gone better!
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Magic Bus at Ballydoyle, Downers Grove (left), and at EvenFlow Music & Spirits, Geneva (right)
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Attention: United States, Canada and Mexico -- Grateful Gary's MAGIC BUS now is on FACEBOOK! Go to www.facebook.com/MagicBusChicago.
Who are you? Where are you? How are you?
(--the preceding line was used on the liner notes of the Grateful Dead's "Skull and Roses" album)
Who are you? Where are you? How are you?
(--the preceding line was used on the liner notes of the Grateful Dead's "Skull and Roses" album)
"I was skeptical when I walked in, but you won me over" ...said a fan who walked up at the end of a past Grateful Gary solo-acoustic performance. "It was the incredible wide variety of song selection." Other fans ask where GG will be playing next, others can't believe he plays four hours of continuous music and others say they can't believe there's no cover charge to see GG perform.
Aww, shucks!
Yet another fan walked up and said he was reluctant to pay a $5 cover on a Saturday night when he saw it was just a single, solo acoustic guitarist. "But you really brought the goods," he said. "You ROCK!"
Aww, shucks!
Yet another fan walked up and said he was reluctant to pay a $5 cover on a Saturday night when he saw it was just a single, solo acoustic guitarist. "But you really brought the goods," he said. "You ROCK!"
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<<< Here's a creative Photo Collage from a
Grateful Gary solo acoustic performance at
the now-closed St. Louis hippie hangout The Shanti.
(click on the photo for larger image)
Grateful Gary solo acoustic performance at
the now-closed St. Louis hippie hangout The Shanti.
(click on the photo for larger image)
Who's "Grateful Gary"???
Grateful Gary is a longtime Chicago-area musician and sound engineer. He's been a member of a couple dozen bands over the past two decades, and for three years was the 'Bob Weir guy' in a touring Grateful Dead tribute band from St. Louis ('The Schwag').
Grateful Gary is one of the rare breed of musician who plays both guitar and bass equally. ...6- and 12-string acoustic guitars, electric guitar, 4- and 5-string electric basses as well as full-size upright bass! (also mandolin, ukulele and keyboards)
Grateful Gary also is an experienced sound engineer, having a radio-television degree from SIU-Carbondale and previously working at sound companies like and Clair Global/Showco (at all major and mid-level Chicago concert venues, including two Lollapaloozas). He offers a medium-sized sound system (and lighting) for hire, indoors or outdoors. (24-ch stereo, 3 monitor mixes).
(photo at right was taken during Gary's wild and crazy college days at S.I.U.-Carbondale)
Check out some of the other pages on this web site (esp. Photos!), see the Schedule page for availability (linked to JamBase) and send a friendly e-mail to him (or to be placed on the e-mailing list) at:
Gary@GratefulGary.com!
Grateful Gary has an artist page on ReverbNation: (www.reverbnation.com/gratefulgary)
Grateful Gary has an artist page on JamBase: (www.jambase.com/band/grateful-gary)
Grateful Gary also has a YouTube video channel: www.youtube.com/user/GratefulGaryChicago/videos
Grateful Gary is a longtime Chicago-area musician and sound engineer. He's been a member of a couple dozen bands over the past two decades, and for three years was the 'Bob Weir guy' in a touring Grateful Dead tribute band from St. Louis ('The Schwag').
Grateful Gary is one of the rare breed of musician who plays both guitar and bass equally. ...6- and 12-string acoustic guitars, electric guitar, 4- and 5-string electric basses as well as full-size upright bass! (also mandolin, ukulele and keyboards)
Grateful Gary also is an experienced sound engineer, having a radio-television degree from SIU-Carbondale and previously working at sound companies like and Clair Global/Showco (at all major and mid-level Chicago concert venues, including two Lollapaloozas). He offers a medium-sized sound system (and lighting) for hire, indoors or outdoors. (24-ch stereo, 3 monitor mixes).
(photo at right was taken during Gary's wild and crazy college days at S.I.U.-Carbondale)
Check out some of the other pages on this web site (esp. Photos!), see the Schedule page for availability (linked to JamBase) and send a friendly e-mail to him (or to be placed on the e-mailing list) at:
Gary@GratefulGary.com!
Grateful Gary has an artist page on ReverbNation: (www.reverbnation.com/gratefulgary)
Grateful Gary has an artist page on JamBase: (www.jambase.com/band/grateful-gary)
Grateful Gary also has a YouTube video channel: www.youtube.com/user/GratefulGaryChicago/videos