William Shatner debuts heavy metal live in Chicago at age 95

William Shatner, the 95-year-old Star Trek icon, has made his live heavy metal debut in Chicago. Performing with his new band, The *uckers, Shatner played a warm-up set at Park West before appearing at Riot Fest.

Shatner’s performance featured a mix of classic metal covers—including tracks by Metallica, Ozzy Osbourne, and Motörhead—and original compositions. His delivery utilized his signature dramatic spoken-word style over heavy instrumental backing. The band includes experienced musicians such as Marcus Nand, Phil Soussan, Britt Lightning, and Fred Aching.

The performances serve as a precursor to his upcoming heavy metal album, tentatively titled ‘What the F Is Heavy Metal?’, which is being produced for Cleopatra Records. The project is expected to feature collaborations with legendary musicians, including Brian May, Tony Iommi, Rob Halford, and Dave Lombardo.