Essence Music Festival Day 1: Janet Jackson's Comeback (PHOTOS)

If there is any proof that one should never judge a book by its cover, the annual Essence Music Festival in New Orleans is it.

Put on by the premier publication for black women, the Essence Music Festival may seem like an exclusionary event for black females, but it's far beyond it. For those who like music, in all its forms, the Essence Music Festival is one of the best music festvials in the world and from Janet Jackson's super-charged 'comeback' performance on the main stage of the Superdome to shows by Arrested Development in one of the performance lounges, the first day of Essence Music Festival offered a little something for everyone.