“Only New Orleans is real. The rest is done with mirrors.” This slogan, written across the front of Better Than Ezra frontman Kevin Griffin’s t-shirt as the band took to the Samsung Galaxy stage, seems to capture a large part of Jazz Fest 2014.

This has to be real life, right? Nothing else really measures up to the sights, sounds, tastes, and smells of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.

From Henry Butler and Steve Bernstein’s Hot 9 burning up the Blues tent to Springsteen on the Acura stage, this was the beating heart of the musical universe.

Nothing else compares.

All photos by Stephen Maloney. Click here to view the gallery on Flickr.

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