Sir Richard Bishop's last several solo records play like travelogues through international, acoustic-guitar exotica — touching down in Spanish flamenco, Indian raga drone, Brazilian samba, and British folk. So it's somewhat surprising to see the former Sun City Girl not only strap on the electric, but also settle into one general style. A mix of originals and traditional covers, the recent The Freak of Araby explores Middle Eastern music (filtered, of course, through Bishop's unique brand of mysticism and playfulness). The tour marks another first: Bishop comes flanked by a full live band, helping flesh out the legendary nomad's latest fascination.