BERKSHIRE, England -- The three-day annual Reading Rock Festival,

featuring such top acts as punk-rappers the Beastie Boys and electronic-punks

Prodigy, is expected to draw 100,000 music fans to the East Midlands in

Berkshire this weekend.

The festival, which takes place over an English bank holiday weekend, runs

Friday (Aug. 28) through Sunday (Aug. 30).

Headliners Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, former leaders of pioneering

metalers Led Zeppelin, were preceded on the main stage by such diverse

modern-rock hybrids as Ash, Mansun, the Deftones, Afghan Whigs,

Symposium, Rocket From The Crypt, Monster Magnet and Headswim. Excited

fans of indie-rockers Ash and Mansun were gathering even as Headswim

opened the festival in the morning.

Among the fans, Roberta Whitter of London anticipated the evening's bands.

She came to see Ash but said she was looking forward to Prodigy, who were

scheduled to play Saturday (Aug. 29).

"I came here last year; the weather was better, but the atmosphere wasn't as

good when the less-famous acts were on," Whitter said. "Everyone's just

throwing themselves into the festival spirit here. It's great!" About the festival

coinciding with the bank holiday, Whitter added, "It's just as well they won't

expect me at work on Monday. This is knackering!"

Set to appear onstage Friday night were rock acts such as Mogwai, Kenickie,

60 Ft. Dolls, Arab Strap, Marcy Playground, Yo La Tengo, Grandaddy,

Delagados, Soundtrack of Our Lives and headliners Super Furry Animals.

The Beastie Boys take to the main stage Saturday, with Prodigy, Supergrass,

Foo Fighters, Echo and the Bunnymen, Lee "Scratch" Perry, Rancid, Asian Dub

Foundation, Money Mark and Bis. On the Melody Maker Stage on

Saturday is Travis, Bentley Rhythm Ace, the Warm Jets, the Unbelievable Truth,

the Montrose Avenue, Jonathan Fire*Eater, Idlewild, Campag Velocet, Snug,

Llama Farmers and Seafood.

Headlining the main stage Sunday is Garbage, with New Order, Bluetones,

Shed 7, the Divine Comedy, Gene, Monaco, Audioweb, Drugstore and Girls

Against Boys. Spiritualized, Ultrasound, Curve, Soul Coughing, Smash Mouth,

Dust Junkies, Six by Seven, the Dandys, Carrie and the Interpreters are

scheduled to take to the Melody Maker Stage.

The festival site, a 15-minute walk from the Reading town center, is well

sign-posted from main roads and can be found on Richfield Avenue. As of press

time, there were still tickets available for the festival, which was licensed to hold

a capacity of 45,000 concert-goers Friday and 55,000 on Saturday and Sunday,

according to a festival spokeswoman from Mean Fiddler Promotions.

This weekend, at the Reading Rock Festival, Mean Fiddler Promotions will

honor tickets purchased for its canceled Phoenix Festival. Phoenix

ticket-holders may use them to enter the Reading site as follows: Those with

tickets to Phoenix's Saturday event may attend Reading on Sunday. Tickets for

Sunday's Phoenix show can be used at Reading on Saturday.

Rain and clouds have overshadowed the 1998 festival season in Britain, but

this weekend's forecast is predicted to be more hospitable, with reports calling

for dry, seasonable weather.

Whitter should be happy with the positive predictions. "It makes a change! It's

overcast today," she said, "but I'll keep my fingers crossed for some sun!"

For more information, visit the Reading Rock Festival online at www.rdg.ac.uk.