William Shatner's Heavy Metal Band to Debut at Riot Fest

At 95, William Shatner is venturing into heavy metal. The actor, known for Star Trek and his trip to space, will debut his new band, The *uckers, at Riot Fest in Chicago on September 20. The band includes guitarist and musical director Marcus Nand, bassist Phil Soussan, guitarist Britt Lightning, and drummer Fred Aching. They will perform reimagined heavy metal versions of Shatner's songs and new tracks from his upcoming album, What the F Is Heavy Metal. Shatner's rider for the festival includes whimsical requests such as renaming a boat after him, displaying his face on a billboard, singing at a baseball game, fire breathers, and adoptable puppies. Riot Fest founder Mike "Riot Mike" Petryshyn joked about Shatner's rider and expressed excitement. Shatner stated, "I've always believed that music, like space, is about exploration." The performance is scheduled for the festival's third day. Tickets are available on Riot Fest's website.