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Courtesy of Dixie Dirt

Dixie Dirt members (from left) Angela Santos, Bradford Barruth, Kat Brock and Chris Rusk consistently put on phenomenal, emotionally charged rock 'n' roll shows that rank among the best in town.

Singling out the best live music performances I’ve attended in the past year is difficult.

I see a lot of music; 99 percent of the time, I find something to enjoy at every show. Every once in a while, however, you experience something that transcends a mere concert and becomes a spiritual experience.

Here are five such experiences I had the joy of participating in this year:

Dixie Dirt (Feb. 3 at Barley’s Taproom in Knoxville’s Old City): I’ve said repeatedly, and will continue to say so, that Dixie Dirt is one of the best bands ever; not just in East Tennessee. The ferocity with which they play ... the emotion behind every guitar chord, every lyric ... the camaraderie between the four members ... it all packs the punch of Mike Tyson on a meth jag. It’s powerful in a way that few shows tend to be, and the band connects with the audience in a way that few others do.
Highlight: Watching singer/guitarist Kat Brock emote every tortured moment of “Parachute,” the final song of the night.

Band of Horses (March 15 at Blue Cats in Knoxville’s Old City): Ben Bridwell is one of those aw-shucks guys who comes across as an old friend, and when he took the stage at Blue Cats, he turned it into his personal living room. The band was loose enough to shift gears spontaneously, relaxed enough to poke fun at themselves when they made the occasional mistake and good enough that the rafters rang when Bridwell hit the high notes. Highlight: The dual-bass climax of “Our Swords.” Double highlight: Discovering the fabulous Cary Ann Hearst, who opened and showed off a voice rich enough to turn milk into cream. What a dynamite singer!

The Heartless Bastards (March 29 at Barley’s Taproom in Knoxville’s Old City): Maybe it was the fact the Black Angels were playing down the street. Maybe it was the fact that the band’s name might seem a little off-putting. Either way, it was a crime there weren’t more people on hand to see this fabulous three-piece, but that didn’t stop them from doing their best impersonation of Neil Young’s Crazy Horse. Ferocious in spots, beautiful all the way through. Highlights: The song “No Pointing Arrows,” one of my personal favorites.

Patty Griffin (Aug. 16 at The Bijou Theatre in downtown Knoxville): Almost whimsical on stage, Patty seemed relaxed and in a good mood, and she turned the Bijou into her personal shrine. Her voice ... her band ... her ability to turn emotion and beauty into song ... they made the night a musical masterpiece. Highlight: The joyful, upbeat, exuberant “No Bad News.”

The Avett Brothers (Sept. 29 at The Bijou Theatre in downtown Knoxville): Three guys who love what they do, playing to a packed house. I talked to Seth Avett after the show, and he informed me that he played while fighting a cold — amazing, considering the band in no way “phoned it in.” Gorgeous harmonies, flashy instrumental skills and foot-stomping, rock-horn waving high-five slapping energy, all the way through. Highlight: The beautiful, haunting “If It’s the Beaches.”