William Shatner covers 'Crazy Train' at mud-soaked Riot Fest - USA Today
A consistent drizzle and boot-sucking mud didn't stop William Shatner from shredding for an eager crowd at Chicago's Riot Fest on Sunday, Sept. 20.
The 95-year-old debuted his heavy metal band, The *uckers, at the punk rock music festival, which saw a three-hour rain delay that cut the evening's lineup short. Sporting a black leather jacket zipped up to his neck, Shatner, best known for his role as Captain Kirk in "Star Trek," performed three covers and three original songs during his 35-minute set.
"Oh boy! The rain and the wind is perfect," Shatner said to a crowd of screams. "I'm so glad you're here, folks. Braved the elements to see us."
Shatner was joined on stage by guitarist Marcus Nand, guitarist and bassist Phil Soussan (Ozzy Osbourne, Last in Line, Vince Neil Band, Big Noize), guitarist Britt Lightning (Vixen) and drummer Fred Aching.
Countless fans raised Vulcan salutes before and after The *uckers' set. The popular signal features one hand palm-forward with the middle and ring fingers split into a "V" shape.
Chris Heinze from Twin Cities, Minnesota told USA TODAY he "flew all the way" to Chicago "just for Will Shat."
"This is the epitome of all epitomes. He's 95 years old. He's immortal. I want to maybe get his sweat in my body so I can live longer," Heinze said with a laugh before The *uckers' set began.
Erik Emmick of Chicagoland also said he came to Riot Fest just to see Shatner perform. Speaking to USA TODAY, Emmick said he nearly missed Shatner's set because of the rainy weather.
"Shatner's iconic. He keeps on ticking," he said. "I think it's amazing that he's doing this at this age. I said to myself, 'This will probably be the first time and the last time I see William Shatner in person.'"
The *uckers' debut performance comes after William recently announced he and his daughter Melanie Shatner, 62, are cancer free. Shatner was diagnosed with stage 4 malignant melanoma in June 2023, and his daughter had been battling stage 4 breast cancer since 2022.
During the 35-minute set, the band played Ozzy Osbourne's "Crazy Train," Motörhead's "Ace of Spades" and Metallica's "Enter Sandman." The band also performed three original songs, "Rage Rage," "Sky Turns Black" and "One Fear," Shatner's assistant Kathleen Hays confirmed to USA TODAY on Sept. 21.
The *uckers' debut album is called "What the F Is Heavy Metal," and Shatner announced at Riot Fest that the album will be released this winter.
Before the band's cover of "Crazy Train," Shatner gave some context for how it came to be. His label, Cleopatra Records, actually brought up the idea of a heavy metal band.
"And I said, 'What the f--- is heavy metal?'" Shatner said.
In a July interview with CNN anchor Elex Michaelson, Shatner also said he would play for 30 minutes at the music festival "in the desert" in spring 2027, which Michaelson confirmed was Coachella. As of Sept. 14, Coachella had not yet released its lineup for its festivals in April 2027.
Editor's note: This story was updated to add new information.
Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at gcross@usatoday.com.
