In Seattle mid-summer can be a dead zone for rad shows due the many festival’s onerous blackout periods but this Friday is a rare exception with a grip of shows choose from. The weather is nice, so you’ve got no excuse to stay in. Abbey’s already talked about the David Bazan Cathedrals show happening in Tacoma, and here’s a few I more wish I could split myself between:

At Barboza – Magic Trick, La Sera, Foxygen

The Daily Choice has been playing close attention to Tim Cohen‘s Project for years now and been constantly impressed. Now among Hardly Art’s cadre, Magic Trick takes hazy pop experimentation even further than his other band The Fresh & Onlys, Haight circa 2012. I dig. Opener Foxygen just re-released their debut on Jagjagwuar this week after a bandcamp release late last year where they did job of modernizing psyche for a new generation themselves.

Pantages Theater in Tacoma – The Sonics

The Sonics first hometown show since 1966!?! After reuniting in 2008 and doing stints in Europe seminal Northwest garage band The Sonics are finally coming back to Tacoma. How did I not know about this until yesterday?

At Jazz Alley – Ramsey Lewis & His Electric Band

He’s a legend.

At The Tractor Tavern – Fort Union, Cataldo, Widower

This is where I’m headed. Any opportunity to see Kevin Large sing songs as Widower I take. The criminally unheralded pop of Cataldo is always something to look forward to. Fort Union’s celebrating a new record chocked full of exactly the kind of rollicking acoustic numbers you expect to hear in Ballard on a Friday night.