William Shatner, the 95-year-old Star Trek icon, is making a surprising career pivot by debuting his heavy metal band, The *uckers, at Riot Fest in Chicago on Sunday, September 20, 2026.
Shatner's Band to Rock Riot Fest
The announcement came from Riot Fest founder Mike ‘Riot Mike’ Petryshyn, who joked that booking Shatner had been years in the making. “After years of persistently — and perhaps annoyingly — writing letters to William Shatner about performing at Riot Fest, it appears that he was finally compelled,” Petryshyn wrote in a press release. “I for one cannot wait to see Shatner get heavy. But that Shatner Rider… wasn’t expecting that today.”
The festival also shared a humorous list of Shatner’s demands, including renaming a boat in his honor so he “can be a captain again” and a dressing room themed as “Shatner’s Shag Shack.”
Shatner's Statement on the Gig
Shatner expressed excitement in a statement: “I’ve always believed that music, like space, is about exploration. Riot Fest is exactly the kind of place where anything can happen. We’re bringing volume, intensity, and a few surprises. I can’t wait to share this experience with the fans.”
Fans on Reddit reacted with surprise. “95 y/o William Shatner in a metal band was not on my 2026 bingo card,” wrote Feather757. Crushmans added, “What is it with old actors discovering metal? Christopher Lee did it in his 90s too. I mean it’s happened twice, which is still a lot.” TheVentiLebowski said, “I’m less than half his age, and I don’t think I would have the energy to do this.”
The Band's Lineup and Album
The *uckers feature guitarist Marcus Nand, bassist Phil Soussan, Britt Lightning on guitar, and Fred Achin on drums. They will play songs from Shatner’s musical catalogue with a heavy metal twist and preview their upcoming album, What the F Is Heavy Metal.
Other artists at Riot Fest include Alanis Morissette, Iggy Pop, Elvis Costello & The Imposters, Pixies, Sex Pistols, and Twenty One Pilots. The festival runs September 18–20 at Douglass Park in Chicago.
