William Shatner is set to make an appearance at the annual rock music festival Riot Fest, but it isn’t just his upcoming performance that’s generating online buzz. Ahead of the music festival, the “Star Trek” icon’s backstage rider has been revealed, offering fans a glimpse at the outlandish list of things he’s expecting when the day comes.
This year’s Riot Fest marks the festival debut of Captain Kirk and his band, The *uckers. Organizers of the annual music event have been inviting William Shatner to perform for about a decade, and the actor has finally relented.
Ahead of the festival, which will be held in Chicago, Riot Fest shared Shatner’s rider. While many artists include typical requests, such as the types of food and drinks they prefer or the dressing room setups they want, the nonagenarian had some unusual requirements.
Shatner is requesting a boat to be renamed after him “so he can captain a ship again,” and also wants to co-anchor the weather with “Chicago’s most beloved meteorologist.” For his band’s performance, he wants plenty of firebreathers and an introduction video from heavy metal band GWAR.
Moreover, his dressing room must have “an assortment of adoptable puppies,” one bowl of saukerkraut, a four-foot-long Polish sausage, and white socks and underwear, among other things.
Is The Actor’s Rider Real?
In the caption, Riot Fest noted that they received a “personal video message” from Shatner about the rider, and they are asking for help from their followers in fulfilling the demands.
“I can’t tell if this is real or not, but either way, it’s the best event promotion I’ve seen in years,” one user noted. Riot Fest responded that they couldn’t believe it either, adding, “He’s way cooler than we are.” Shatner’s rider is possibly a marketing stunt orchestrated by the festival organizers and Shatner himself to create buzz.
In 2025, Riot Fest announced that John Stamos would be making his festival debut if his list of demands was met. The rider featured a mix of practical, odd, and demanding requests, including a lifetime supply of combs for fans, a foot rub, unlimited hummus in a guitar case, and the festival’s founder getting a tattoo of Stamos.
Shatner’s rider is most likely a combination of real and made-up requests, but fans are eager to fulfill them either way. One business, Fatpour Tap Works, has already offered to name a food item after Shatner if the comment receives 500 likes.
The *uckers features big names in rock music, including Marcus Nand on guitar, Britt Lightning on guitar, Phil Soussan on bass, and Fred Aching on drums. The group will be performing songs from the actor’s catalog of works, as well as new songs from his upcoming heavy metal album.
“I’ve always believed that music, like space, is about exploration. Riot Fest is exactly the kind of place where anything can happen. We’re bringing volume, intensity, and a few surprises. I can’t wait to share this experience with the fans,” Shatner said.
The Actor Has Released More Than 10 Studio Albums
Shatner’s first studio album, “The Transformed Man,” was released in 1968, and it featured recitations of songs and texts rather than actual singing. Since then, he has released several more, including holiday- and space-themed records.
He has collaborated with artists from different music genres, some of whom include Joe Jackson, Aimee Mann, Joe Walsh, Ben Folds, Brad Paisley, Joe Jonas, Sheryl Crow, and Rob Halford.
His latest project is a heavy metal album, which he teased in February as a “gathering of forces,” per The Blast. “We are about to boldly headbang where no one has headbanged before. Stay tuned. The metal voyage begins this year,” he noted.
William Shatner Is Living His Best Life At 95
Shatner remains as active as ever, even at 95 years old. Apart from music, he is also busy with other projects in entertainment.
He continues to host and executive produce History Channel’s “The UnXplained,” which is currently in its eighth season. Moreover, he is releasing a new memoir late this year. Shatner has also been busy going on tours and conventions for “Star Trek.”
Shatner and The *uckers will be performing at Douglass Park in Chicago, Illinois, on September 20, the third day of Riot Fest.
