The Metal Hall of Fame held its 2026 induction ceremony tonight across three iconic Sunset Strip venues in West Hollywood, delivering one of the most emotionally charged and musically spectacular evenings in the organization's history. Warren DeMartini of RATT, Chris Holmes of W.A.S.P., Tracii Guns of L.A. GUNS, Rikki Rockett of POISON, Gilby Clarke of GUNS N' ROSES, and legendary MTV Headbangers Ball host Riki Rachtman were officially inducted into the Metal Hall of Fame.
Hosted by veteran broadcaster Eddie Trunk and entertainment personality Cathy Rankin, the evening opened with a red carpet reception at the Rainbow Bar & Grill — the Sunset Strip watering hole that has served as an unofficial clubhouse for rock and metal royalty since the 1970s. Industry figures, fellow musicians, and fans mingled with the inductees in the venue where Lemmy Kilmister once held court nightly and Ronnie James Dio celebrated countless milestones.
The ceremony and All-Star Jam at the Roxy Theater produced several unforgettable moments. A WHITESNAKE tribute featuring Doug Aldrich and vocalist Dino Jelusick brought the house to its feet, while POISON's Rikki Rockett delivered crowd-pleasing renditions of "Talk Dirty to Me" and other POISON classics. A spectacular RATT set with DeMartini proved the guitarist's fire remains undiminished, as he unleashed the fluid, blues-inflected shredding that made him one of the 1980s' most distinctive players.
Chris Holmes closed the show with his solo band, delivering a raw and powerful set that reminded everyone why the W.A.S.P. guitarist was among the most feared axemen on the Strip. The evening served as a powerful reminder of the Sunset Strip's indelible contribution to heavy metal culture — a time and place that produced some of the genre's most iconic bands and defined the look and sound of hard rock for an entire generation.