Bat for Lashes join all 12 Mercury shortlisters for the first time

The Barclaycard Mercury Prize Awards Show is being held next Tuesday evening, 8 September in London and will feature live performances from all 12 shortlisted artists for the first time.

The evening will culminate with the live announcement of the overall winner of the 2009 Barclaycard Mercury Prize for Album of the Year.

Many of the bands and artists will be flying into the UK especially for the prestigious event, which will be broadcast on BBC Two, Radio 1 and 6 Music throughout next week. BBC Two will be broadcasting live coverage of the event from 10pm on the night presented by Lauren Laverne and Jools Holland. BBC Two will also be broadcasting a 70 minute special on Friday 11 September at 11.40pm.

The 2009 Albums of the Year are:

Bat for Lashes Two Suns
Florence & The Machine Lungs
Friendly Fires Fires
Glasvegas Glasvegas
Kasabian West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum
La Roux La Roux La Roux
Led Bib Led Bib Sensible Shoes
Lisa Hannigan Sea Sew
Speech Debelle Speech Therapy
Sweet Billy Pilgrim Twice Born Men
The Horrors Primary Colours
The Invisible The Invisible