From shredding curbs as a skater kid to shredding riffs on stage, the life of Joe Sib reads like a classic West Coast punk lyric—loud, fast, and full of heart. Now, the frontman-turned-label-exec-turned-comedian is channelling that energy into California Calling – A Story of Growing Up Punk Rock, a one-man show crashing into this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival like a power chord through a bedroom amp.
Sib’s not just another talking head reliving the “back in the day” stories. He was the day. As the frontman of WAX (whose Hush video, directed by a pre-Hollywood Spike Jonze, became an MTV cult hit) and 22 Jacks, and later the co-founder of SideOneDummy Records, Joe helped shape the punk ethos for a new generation.
With bands like Flogging Molly, Gogol Bordello, and The Gaslight Anthem on his résumé, his credentials come stamped with authenticity—and a fair amount of mosh pit bruises.
In California Calling, Sib delivers more than nostalgia. It’s a sharply delivered, deeply personal rollercoaster that winds from his youth in the Santa Cruz Mountains to opening stadiums for Metallica.
Whether it’s bombing his first backyard gig, navigating label life in a pre-streaming world, or raising his own next-gen musician son, the show is a heartfelt celebration of perseverance, rebellion, and pure punk joy.
Audiences can expect blisteringly funny and brutally honest stories that echo the reckless abandon of ’80s SoCal skate culture. Imagine The Ramones meet George Carlin—if Carlin had spent time in a tour van with Social Distortion.
As Sib himself puts it, this isn’t just a story about music—it’s about believing in something bigger than yourself. It’s about your chosen family, your first band, and the music that carries you through it all.
With storytelling sharp enough to leave a scar and a soundscape that pulses with Heavy and Metal heartbeats, California Calling is required viewing for any punk, skater, rocker—or anyone who’s ever been young, broke, and chasing a dream.
Chris Shiflett is a fan. “California Calling hits home for anyone that came of age in the ’80s,” he said, “and if you didn’t, you’ll wish you did.”
Catch Joe Sib from July 30 to August 24 (excluding August 11) at the Gilded Balloon, Pip Room, Appleton Tower. This is one tale that hits like a snare crack and lingers like the feedback after the final song. For more details, visit JoeSib.com.
