Photo: Anabel DFlux / Cleopatra Records
Entertainment icon William Shatner is bringing his newly conceived rock spectacle to Riot Fest 2026, joining one of the festival’s most celebrated lineups alongside Iggy Pop, PUBLIC IMAGE LTD., Morrissey, BLINK-182, WEEZER, SEX PISTOLS featuring Frank Carter, THE POGUES, THE DAMNED, JAWBREAKER and many more.
Already renowned for fearlessly exceeding (and even contradicting) his audience’s expectations throughout a career that spans more than six decades, Shatner returns to the stage with a powerful live production that transforms both his past and most recent recordings into a full-scale rock experience.
Backed by members of NUCLEAR MESSIAH and an all-star lineup of Cleopatra Records collaborators, the band features guitarist and musical director Marcus Nand (Mike Tramp, Candice Night),bassist Phil Soussan (Ozzy Osbourne, Billy Idol, songwriter of Ozzy‘s “Shot In The Dark”),guitarist Britt Lightning (VIXEN) and drummer Fred Aching (KINGS OF THRASH, DEAD GROOVE, FRAXURES). Together, they will deliver a dynamic performance that blends cinematic storytelling and hard-hitting rock with the unmistakable voice of one of popular culture’s most enduring figures.
“I’ve always believed that music, like space, is about exploration,” says Shatner. “Riot Fest is exactly the kind of place where anything can happen. We’re bringing volume, intensity, and a few surprises. With this incredible band behind me, I expect nothing less than lift-off. I can’t wait to share this experience with the fans.”
The performance follows a series of critically acclaimed Cleopatra Records collaborations that paired Shatner with some of rock and metal’s most respected musicians, earning praise for their originality and fearless approach.
But Riot Fest marks the beginning of the next chapter, not only bringing those recordings to life on one of the world’s premier festival stages, but also foreshadowing Shatner‘s next, and most audacious, album yet — a full-scale heavy metal monster featuring some of the most spectacular musicians in that field and beyond.
“William Shatner has spent a lifetime redefining expectations,” says Brian Perera, founder of Cleopatra Records. “This isn’t a novelty performance — it’s a real rock show featuring world-class musicians behind one of entertainment’s greatest icons. Riot Fest is the perfect stage for this next chapter, and we’re going to deliver a performance worthy of the festival’s incredible legacy.”
For longtime fans and first-time audiences alike, Shatner‘s Riot Fest appearance promises to be one of the weekend’s most distinctive performances — a head-on collision of rock, storytelling, and the pure live energy that only William Shatner could deliver.
Adding fuel to the growing excitement surrounding the project is the recent participation of Mikkey Dee, the legendary drummer who served as the driving force and rhythmic pulse of MOTÖRHEAD for more than 35 years before joining SCORPIONS. Dee recently completed drum tracks for Shatner‘s explosive version of the JUDAS PRIEST classic “Living After Midnight”, bringing his trademark thunder and precision to the album.
“I needed pounding beats to make the music feel the way I feel it,” says William Shatner. “The drums drive the emotion. They create the urgency, the excitement, the danger. Heavy metal should hit you in the chest and move your soul at the same time.”
Other featured drummers on the project include Dave Lombardo (SLAYER, MISFITS),Chris Adler (MEGADETH),Vinny Appice (BLACK SABBATH),Carmine Appice (VANILLA FUDGE, CACTUS),Kenny Aronoff (Steve Vai),Simon Wright (AC/DC, UFO),Bobby Rondinelli (BLUE ÖYSTER CULT, QUIET RIOT),Matt Starr (Ace Frehley, Joe Lynn Turner),Steve Zing (DANZIG, SAMHAIN, MOURNING NOISE) and Fred Aching (KINGS OF THRASH, NUCLEAR MESSIAH, FRAXURES).
Behind the boards, Shatner‘s new heavy metal project is being driven by a heavyweight production team led by Adam Hamilton (L.A. GUNS, BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE) and Brian Perera, president of Cleopatra Records, with additional production from Derek Hughes, Marcus Nand and Jürgen Engler of DIE KRUPPS.
For Shatner, this is not a novelty move — it is a full-scale artistic statement. At 95, he is leaning into the power, danger and drama of heavy music with the same sense of commitment and conviction that has defined his career across film, television, spoken word and music.
This album finds him channeling something raw and primal: the shock of volume, the force of rhythm and the emotional charge that made heavy music a permanent cultural force.
Shatner is also setting out to do something virtually unprecedented — uniting an all-time cast of rock and metal superstars for a single album built on ambition, scale and genuine musical chemistry. The result is a project designed not just to surprise listeners, but to hit with real authority.
Fueled by massive musicianship and a shared appetite for sonic risk, the album blends Shatner‘s commanding vocal presence with the crushing energy of top-tier players and producers who understand how to make heavy music feel cinematic, physical and alive. It reaches back to the spirit of the era when music felt dangerous and larger than life, while pushing forward with a modern intensity all its own.
Shatner has said he feels this music in his bones — as something shattering, youthful and alive — reconnecting him with the visceral thrill of a time when things got truly heavy. That spirit runs through the entire project, which aims to deliver not just star power, but impact.
With additional guest appearances still under wraps, the album is quickly emerging as a major crossover moment: part metal event record, part artistic left turn, and entirely unmistakable in its vision.
More details, including the album title, release date, and additional featured artists, will be announced soon.