Richard Ashcroft to debut new project live

Richard Ashcroft is to make his live debut with new project United Nations Of Sound with a handful of UK gigs in June.

After playing a string of European dates the ex-Verve lead singer will play a pair of UK shows at Manchester Academy (15 June) and London's Shepherd's Bush Empire (16).

United Nations Of Sound, a collaboration between Ashcroft and Chicagoan producer No I.D who has worked with Jay-Z in the past, will also release their debut album on 7 June.

The first single by the pairing Are You Ready? was aired in January.

Ashcroft was last seen playing live with The Verve who officially split for the third time in 2009.

The four original members of the Wigan band returned for a reunion in 2007, recording album Forth and headlining festivals like Glastonbury and T In The Park.