The NBA’s Denver Nuggets hosted their fourth-consecutive Grateful Dead Night on Monday, and some eagle-eyed fans spotted bassist Keith Moseley of Colorado’s own The String Cheese Incident in the crowd. Fans cheered the Nuggets on to a 130-124 win over the Sacramento Kings, and to make the win even sweeter, Keith allegedly told some fans who stopped him for a pic that the band will return to Red Rocks Amphitheatre for its annual stand (this is not yet confirmed).
Though The String Cheese Incident wasn’t on the lineup for Monday’s matchup at Ball Arena, local Grateful Dead cover band Shakedown Street returned for another pre-game show. Fans who bought special tickets also took home limited-edition Nuggets x Grateful Dead jerseys, adorned with dancing bears on the Nuggets’ trademark sunshine (daydream)-yellow. Even Moseley himself nabbed a Grateful Nuggets jersey.
Grateful Dead Night has been a staple of the Denver Nuggets’ season for the past several years. In 2024, the game took place just a few weeks after the death of co-founding Dead bassist Phil Lesh, following editions in 2023 and 2022, which were typically accompanied by special jersey giveaways and pre-show concerts by Shakedown Street. The Nuggets are far from the only team to get in on the Deadhead celebration, with teams across the MLB and NHL giving away tie-dye jerseys and hosting pre-, post-, and mid-game concerts by local Dead cover bands. Last season, the Philadelphia Flyers also hosted games celebrating Pearl Jam and Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, in addition to the Dead.
Related: Why Jam Bands Are Like Pro Sports Teams
Moseley was fresh off String Cheese Incident’s annual Hulaween festival (and looks remarkably well-rested for somebody who just spent a long weekend at The Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park). With Hulaween in the rearview, the band’s touring calendar is completely empty. Keep tabs on SCI’s social media for upcoming concert announcements. If you’re in Denver, a Nuggets fan, and looking for something to do this weekend, tickets to Saturday’s game against the Indiana Pacers are pretty affordable on StubHub right now.
