William Shatner, best known for playing Captain James T. Kirk in "Star Trek," performed Metallica's "Enter Sandman" live for the first time on September 20, 2026, at Riot Fest in Chicago, according to Blabbermouth and the music site Chaoszine. The 95-year-old actor fronted a newly assembled backing band called The *uckers for the set.
What happened at Riot Fest
Shatner's set also included covers of Ozzy Osbourne and Motörhead songs alongside the Metallica cover, Blabbermouth reported. His band for the performance included Marcus Nand on guitar as musical director, Britt Lightning (formerly of Vixen) on guitar, Phil Soussan — a past collaborator of Ozzy Osbourne — on bass, and Fred Aching of Kings of Thrash on drums, according to the outlet and a report from Laughing Squid.
Rather than replicating Metallica's vocal delivery, Shatner used his signature spoken-word style on the lyrics, Laughing Squid noted.
Shatner's take on the lyrics
Speaking on SiriusXM's Trunk Nation on September 29, Shatner explained that, as an actor, he approached the song by asking who would plausibly speak its words, according to Blabbermouth. He described reading the lyrics as coming from a sinister, manipulative narrator rather than performing them as a lullaby-style rock anthem, a reinterpretation he said he applies to other songs on his upcoming record as well.
Chaoszine reported the same explanation, noting Shatner framed his version as a deliberate reinterpretation of the song's narrative rather than a straight cover.
The album behind the cover
The "Enter Sandman" cover is tied to a forthcoming Shatner heavy-metal studio album tentatively titled "What The F Is Heavy Metal?", scheduled for release in 2027 through Cleopatra Records, according to both Blabbermouth and Chaoszine.
The project is led by producer Adam Hamilton, known for his work with L.A. Guns and Brian Jonestown Massacre, and Cleopatra Records president Brian Perera, with additional production credited to Derek Hughes, Marcus Nand and Jürgen Engler of Die Krupps, the two outlets reported.
Guest musicians slated to appear on the album include Brian May of Queen, Rob Halford of Judas Priest, John Moyer of Disturbed and Dave Lombardo of Slayer, according to Blabbermouth and Chaoszine. The Riot Fest set reportedly previewed three original songs from the record in addition to the cover material.
Background
Shatner has released several studio albums since 1968 that blend spoken-word and dramatic readings with rock, blues and other genres, collaborating with musicians including Ben Folds, Brad Paisley and Iggy Pop, according to Blabbermouth. The Riot Fest set featured the live debut of his Metallica cover, according to the reports.
- Date and place: September 20, 2026, Riot Fest, Chicago
- Band: The *uckers — Marcus Nand, Britt Lightning, Phil Soussan, Fred Aching
- Album: "What The F Is Heavy Metal?", due 2027 on Cleopatra Records
- Guests announced for the album: Brian May, Rob Halford, John Moyer, Dave Lombardo
Questions
- Did William Shatner really cover Metallica's "Enter Sandman"?
- Yes. He performed it live with his band The *uckers at Riot Fest in Chicago on September 20, 2026, according to Blabbermouth and Chaoszine.
- Is the cover coming out as a single or only part of an album?
- Based on the available reports, it appears tied to Shatner's upcoming heavy-metal album "What The F Is Heavy Metal?", due in 2027 on Cleopatra Records; no separate single release has been reported.
- Who is in William Shatner's band The *uckers?
- Guitarist and musical director Marcus Nand, guitarist Britt Lightning, bassist Phil Soussan and drummer Fred Aching, according to Blabbermouth and Laughing Squid.
- Why did Shatner change how he performs the song's lyrics?
- Shatner told SiriusXM's Trunk Nation that he approached the lyrics as an actor would, reinterpreting the narrator as a manipulative, sinister figure rather than copying Metallica's original delivery.
- Which other musicians are involved in Shatner's heavy-metal album?
- Reported guests include Brian May, Rob Halford, John Moyer and Dave Lombardo, with production from Adam Hamilton, Brian Perera, Derek Hughes, Marcus Nand and Jürgen Engler.
This piece was prepared with artificial intelligence and passed an automated source check before publication. If you see an error, ask for a correction. Request a correction or reply · How we make this
