Rock rolls back to Hyde Park at last

Eric Clapton and Bob Dylan will headline the first Hyde Park rock concert for 20 years, it was announced yesterday.

The show, on Saturday, 29 June, is in aid of the Prince's Trust, the Prince of Wales's charity. A crowd of 150,000 is expected for the first concert in the park in central London to charge. Tickets, at pounds 8, and television could raise pounds 500,000.

The all-star line up will also feature former Who members Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend and John Entwistle in a performance of the band's rock opera Quadrophenia. Another confirmed star is the US singer Alanis Morissette, though concert organiser Harvey Goldsmith says there is a "secret" list of other big names, thought to include Phil Collins.

At a press conference yesterday, Townshend said: "It's very exciting. It is a chance to do something adventurous."

Tom Shebbeare, executive director of the Prince's Trust, described the event as "exceptional". The last rock concert in Hyde Park was by Queen in 1976. The Rolling Stones and Blind Faith drew in the crowds in 1969 while Pavarotti's much-hyped opera concert in 1991 was drenched by a rain.

The MasterCard Masters of Music concert, to mark the Euro 96' football championship final the next day, will be the biggest one-day rock event since Blackbushe in 1978, in Berkshire, also starring Dylan and Clapton. Questions remain, such as the task of making sure everyone pays.