Villagers Announce First Show Since Mercury Prize Nomination in New London Underground Venue

Barclaycard Mercury Prize-nominated Villagers have announced their first show since it was revealed they'd made the shortlist for this year's award -- and it's at a new, quite literally underground venue in London.

The Irish band, aka Conor O'Brien, will play the Old Vic Tunnels tunnels underneath Waterloo Station on August 4 and August 5, the first headlining shows in the city since a sold-out show in May.

A licence was gained in January this year to transform tunnels beneath the station into a performance venue until December after the success of Tunnel 228, a project which saw art installations and theatre performances in the unusual space.

Director of Old Vic Tunnels, Hamish Jenkinson, said in a statement, "I'm delighted that the first live music in the Old Vic Tunnels will be Villagers."

Tickets for the gigs are £10 ($15) and will be available from www.livenation.co.uk with £1 ($1.50) from each ticket going to the charity the Railway Children.

As previously reported by Spinner, Villagers are amongst the 12 nominees for this year's Mercury Prize, along side acts such as the XX, Dizzee Rascal and Biffy Clyro.