Fans who plan to attend the Bob Weir and Ratdog show March 29 in Madison, Wis., won’t need to look far for a ride to the venue.

Clearwater Theater, in conjunction with Bob Weir and Ratdog, will send a bus to pick up fans and take them to the Orpheum Theatre in Madison.

“We are basically calling it a party bus,” Clearwater owner Eric Isibue said.

Isibue said they have been tracking where fans come from for the past couple Weir shows by ticket sales and noticed that a large following is from NIU.

“We are sending out a bus to pick up fans at NIU, Harper Community College and Elgin Community College to take them up to the show safely,” Isibue said.

The Clearwater Theater, located in West Dundee, has been a staple for jam bands on tour, including Big Wu and Umphrey’s McGee.

Weir is most widely known as a guitarist for the Grateful Dead, one of the first jam bands to come about in the late 1960s, which paved the way for bands such as Phish and Dave Matthews Band to follow.

The bus is scheduled to pick up students at NIU about 6:15 p.m. Tuesday for the 8 p.m. show.

This is no simple bus trip, though.

“The party bus is going to have a couple kegs and sandwiches for the fans as well,” Isibue said. “It’s going to be a fun ride, that’s for sure.”

Isibue said safety is the most important aspect of the trip.

“We want the fans to know that we care about them,” Isibue said. “This bus is a safe haven, which is important.”

Underage fans also will be able to take the bus to the concert.

“We are going to have chaperones on the bus so things don’t get out of control,” Isibue said. “If we have a good number of people under 21, we will get a separate bus.”

The $65 price includes a ticket to the show, transportation to and from the show and food and beverages on the bus.

People interested in the package should call 847-836-8820 for tickets.