Overview
- Shatner led his newly formed band The *uckers in a six-song warm-up set at Chicago’s Park West that included three originals and covers of “Crazy Train,” “Enter Sandman,” and “Ace of Spades.”
- The performance, which took place on Sept. 19, served as a dress rehearsal for The *uckers’ scheduled Riot Fest slot at Douglass Park the next day and was captured in fan videos circulating online.
- The Park West lineup featured veteran rock players Marcus Nand as musical director, Phil Soussan on bass, Britt Lightning on guitar, and Fred Aching on drums.
- His forthcoming album What The F Is Heavy Metal? is slated to include guest turns from Brian May, Tony Iommi, Rob Halford, John Moyer and Dave Lombardo, and Cleopatra Records is handling the release.
- Riot Fest’s publicity around Shatner’s rider—requests such as fire breathers, Polish sausage and adoptable puppies—has amplified the project’s theatrical PR push and could help secure more festival bookings, though a reported Coachella 2027 appearance remains unconfirmed.