William Shatner is set to perform at Chicago’s Riot Fest with a metal backing band, an unusual live appearance that ties the 95-year-old actor more closely to the rock and metal world. The announcement matters because it turns what could have been seen as a novelty booking into a higher-profile festival set, linking Shatner’s long-running public persona with a serious live music collaboration and a forthcoming heavy metal project.

Shatner will perform with members of the Nuclear Messiah collective, including Marcus Nand, Phil Soussan, Britt Lightning and Fred Aching. The article says he is also working on a heavy metal album for Cleopatra Records, with announced covers including Judas Priest’s “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’” featuring Rob Halford and “Living After Midnight” featuring Mikkey Dee. Riot Fest runs from 18 to 20 September at Douglass Park in Chicago, and the wider line-up includes Tool, Twenty One Pilots, Alanis Morissette, Morrissey, Iggy Pop, Pixies and Elvis Costello & The Imposters.