Justin Ward

Justin Ward

Justin Ward is the founder of LiveMusicBlog.com, an independent music publication launched in the summer of 2004. Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, Ward created the site as a personal outlet to explore music beyond his favorite band, Phish, following their announced breakup that year. What began as a modest blog evolved into a widely respected source for live music coverage, featuring concert reviews, festival news, and artist spotlights across genres like jam bands, indie rock, electronic, jazz, and more. Ward’s passion for live music and his commitment to capturing the energy of performances helped establish a dedicated community of readers and contributors. Even after the site’s acquisition by On Tap Publishing in 2025, Ward’s influence remains evident in its continued focus on the live music experience and LMB’s devotion to delivering high-quality articles and news to its readers. Scroll down for a full list of Justin’s stories. Contact Justin: Email us Connect with Justin Ward:

AUTHOR’S CONTENT

  • The Eagles Confirm 8 Shows @ Sphere Las Vegas

    The Eagles have been announced as the fourth group to ever get booked for a run at the incredible SPHERE…

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  • Dead & Company Announce ‘Dead Forever’ Residency at The Sphere

    The rumors were true after all: Dead & Company will get back together for a series of 18 shows at…

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  • Phish Kicks Off Annual New Year’s Eve Run at Madison Square Garden [SETLIST/VIDEOS]

    Phish is about to take the stage for their 80th show ever at Madison Square Garden, their first night of…

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  • Phish Announces NYE 2023 Webcasts via LivePhish

    Phish has announced they will be webcasting their upcoming New Year’s Eve run at Madison Square Garden starting on Thursday,…

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  • Talking Heads Announce Deluxe ‘Stop Making Sense’ Soundtrack

    Talking Heads are readying a deluxe edition release of their legendary concert film, Stop Making Sense, due out on Rhino…

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  • Watch Lil Yachty Brings ‘Let’s Start Here’ Vibes to Saturday Night Live

    One of my favorite albums of recent is the breakout from Lil Yachty that everyone-except-Pitchfork raved about, Let’s Start Here.…

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  • Phish Riviera Maya 2023 Livestream Webcasts Announced

    Phish returns to the stage tonight to kick off their Riviera Maya 2023 run! I’ve been excitedly hanging out in…

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  • Phish Announces Summer 2023 Tour Dates

    Phish has announced a 23-date Summer Tour beginning July 11 in Alabama and finishing off with four-nights over Labor Day…

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  • Billy Strings Announces Summer 2023 Tour Dates

    Billy Strings just announced a new set of summer tour dates which you’ll want to jump on quickly given how…

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  • The Smile Announce Summer 2023 U.S. Tour Dates

    The Smile have announced details of a summer 2023 tour, with one show Mexico City before heading up to the…

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  • Bob Weir and Rick from Goose at playing in the sand.

    Bob Weir Joins Goose at Playing In The Sand

    On the Dead & Company night off down at this year’s Playing In The Sand, Goose got the nod to…

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  • Dead & Company Kick Off Playing in the Sand 2023 [SETLIST/STREAM]

    Dead & Company kicked off their first show down at the Moon Palace in Cancún, Mexico as part of their…

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