Alpha Consumer

If you’ve checked out Dosh, Andrew Bird, Fog, Fat Kid Wednesdays, Happy Apple, The James Buckley Trio, or about a dozen other local bands, chances are you’ve heard at least one member of local quasi-supergroup Alpha Consumer. Jeremy Ylvisaker and Michael Lewis have logged some serious miles this year in Andrew Bird’s backing band, and J.T. Bates is a drummer for several Twin Cities projects, but the trio’s first passion is this loud, cocksure rock band. Alpha Consumer’s second album, Gary Victorsen’s, was released in 2007; this fall it releases a follow-up, Kick Drugs Out Of America. Before headlining on Friday at the 501 Club, the band talked to The A.V. Club about the smarmy politics behind its band name, the real-life person behind its album title, and the longest, loudest cover of “Crimson And Clover” you’ll ever hear.