Officer’s band performs at Troutstock

When you walk into the Costa Mesa police station one of the first people you meet is Officer Kurtiss Lystne. You might not notice he’s an officer at first because he doesn’t wear a uniform, but he usually favors nice dress slacks and a shirt and is always well-groomed.

But the fact that this 15-year veteran was once a patrol officer until a back injury put him behind the desk is not the real surprise. Lystne plays lead guitar and sings in a rock band called Citizen Joe.

The band has started receiving notice from some big names with their cover of Steve Earle’s “Copperhead Road” and now they are taking their act way up north for the Labor Day weekend.

Citizen Joe will headline the third annual Eastern Sierra Troutstock Festival in Mammoth Lakes.

The competition includes 15 lakes, 5 registration points, 5 check-in points, a Kids Fishing Pond, trout cooking and casting demonstrations, kids fishing games, live entertainment, artists booths, and a chance to win $1 million.

Lystne and his brother Glen founded the band back in the 1990s. The band performs at a number of local Orange County venues, including the Coachhouse in San Juan Capistrano.

If you’re interested in what the band sounds like you can sample some songs, including, “America’s Son” and “Dreamer Boy” on the band’s website, www.citizenjoemusic.com. “America’s Son” was as a tribute to Marine Lance Cpl. Daniel J. Santee, who was killed in Iraq April 14.