U.K. rock veterans Procol Harum are to make a rare live appearance near London later this month, fulfilling frontman Gary Brooker's promise to fans made last year that "Procol will play in 2000." 33 years after the band achieved instant worldwide fame with the single "A Whiter Shade Of Pale," Procol will play two sets Sept. 17 at the climax of the Guildford Multimedia Arts Festival, southwest of London, the Shine On fan newsletter reports.

The first will be a band set, while the second will be accompanied by the New London Sinfonia and Guildford Choral Society and followed by a fireworks finale. Procol Harum's line-up for the event will be Brooker (piano, vocals), fellow founding member Matthew Fisher on Hammond organ, '70s-era member Mick Grabham on lead guitar and vocals, Matthew Pegg on bass, and longtime Big Country member Mark Brzezicki on drums.

Procol's last album of new material was 1991's "The Prodigal Stranger," released by Zoo Entertainment. Since then, the group played at London's Shepherd's Bush Empire in 1995 and had a "30th Anniversary Anthology" released in the U.K. by Westside in 1997.

"A Whiter Shade Of Pale," which peaked at No. 5 on The Billboard Hot 100, has been covered by acts from Sammy Hagar and the Everly Brothers to Willie Nelson and, as of this week, Sarah Brightman, on her new Angel album "La Luna."