New Beat Fund

Los Angeles’ New Beat Fund make a loose, cheeky mix of electronic-tinged garage rock and rap. Formed in 2011, the group features the talents of guitarist/lead-vocalist Jeff Laliberte, bassist Paul Laliberte, guitarist Shelby Archer, and drummer Michael Johnson. Inspired by an eclectic combination of sounds from Southern California punk bands like Green Day and Sublime, funk outfits like Red Hot Chili Peppers and Fishbone, and West Coast rap acts like Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre, New Beat Fund coined their music “G-punk.” With a D.I.Y. aesthetic born out of Laliberte’s art school-honed skills and Archer’s audio-engineering background, the group initially gained attention for their self-produced music videos for songs like “Scare Me,” which went viral in 2012. An opening tour slot for blink-182 helped expand their fan base the following year. In 2015, New Beat Fund released their debut full-length album, Sponge Fingerz, and joined the lineup of the Vans Warped Tour. ~ Matt Collar