First, they’re bringing their live show to the States for more than a dozen dates, kicking off November 15 in Chicago and ending up December 9 across the border in Toronto, hitting cities across the States in the process.

Sometime after that, the Scottish band’s limited-edition live album, which has a title not suited for print here (let’s just say it rhymes with The Punted Circus), will be made available on the Arab Strap Web site. It was previously only available on the band’s latest tour of Europe.

Arab Strap, consisting primarily of Aidan Moffat and Malcolm Middleton with help from others, has been at it since the mid-’90s, when they rose from a downtrodden town called Falkirk.

Since, they have explored gritty themes (mostly sex and drunkenness) over five albums, including their latest studio work, Monday At The Hug & Pint.

Their early live shows were heralded as exciting and incendiary, if not uneven. Arab Strap’s more recent albums (for Matador Records in the States and Chemikal Underground overseas) have been noted for their maturing sound.

Middleton will open most of the shows on the U.S. tour. His debut solo album, the tongue-twisting 5:14 Fluoxytine Seagull Alcohol John Nicotine, just hit American shelves.