Retro shows are always a hairy proposition. There’s always the fear that nostalgia will overbear the music, that kitsch will drown the rock. It’s understandable, considering the very nature of a show featuring bands that specialize in trudging through the past. So it’s with caution that I recommend the Rock at the Dock show, advertised as a car show and dance party. But I feel fairly confident the show will err on the side of awesome.

The retro bands in question will be the Nowhere Men (a Beatles tribute band) and the Galaxies, a legitimate legend in the history of Pacific Northwest music. Setting aside the question of a Beatles tribute band, the Galaxies — who will go on around 6:30 p.m. — can be counted on to bring down the house with their vintage brand of garage rock.

[Johnny’s Dock, Rock at the Dock Hotrod Car Show and All City Dance Party, Saturday, Aug. 29, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., $20, 1900 E. D. St., Tacoma, 253.627.3186]