William Shatner Debuts Heavy Metal Band at Chicago Show

William Shatner, the 95-year-old actor best known for his role in Star Trek, made his debut as a heavy metal frontman on September 19, 2026. Fronting his newly formed band THE UCKERS, Shatner performed a warmup show at Park West in Chicago ahead of his official appearance at Riot Fest. The concert featured a six-song set that included covers of classic metal tracks such as Ozzy Osbourne's "Crazy Train," Metallica's "Enter Sandman," and Motörhead's "Ace of Spades." Additionally, the band played three original songs from Shatner's upcoming album, "What the F Is Heavy Metal?" The performance served as a dress rehearsal for his Riot Fest set on September 20, 2026, at Douglass Park. THE UCKERS comprise veteran musicians: guitarist and musical director Marcus Nand, bassist Phil Soussan, guitarist Britt Lightning, and drummer Fred Aching. Soussan expressed excitement about playing with Shatner, calling it a "bucket list type of event." Shatner's album, set for release via Cleopatra Records, features guest appearances from rock legends including Brian May of Queen, Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath, Rob Halford of Judas Priest, and former Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo.