What's In Your Fridge: Tamara Stanners

    1 of 3 2 of 3

      What’s in Your Fridge is where the Straight asks interesting Vancouverites about their life-changing concerts, favourite albums, and, most importantly, what’s sitting beside the Heinz ketchup in their custom-made Big Chill Retropolitan 20.6-cubic-foot refrigerators.

      On the grill

      Tamara Stanners

      Who are you

      Oh hey! My name is Tamara Joy Stanners. I threw the Joy part in because that’s what my parents should’ve called me. But they called me Tamara, but everyone called me Tammy until I got a job at LG73 and I started using my grown up name. 

      I do and have done a lot of things, like starting 102.7 the PEAK way back in 2008 (those were some good old days!), and along with it the PEAK Performance Project with a whole lot of pals!

      Now, I spend my time doing voiceovers in a tiny little studio under the stairs in my old house for such awesome things as the ‘What Not to Flush’ PSA’s for Metro Vancouver AND my big exciting job is starting the new Squamish Constellation Festival!!!!!! (note, 5 exclamation marks because I’m that excited.)

      First concert

      Pat Boone with Debby Boone. I think it was 1977. We only went because my mom’s maiden name was Boone, and she held firm in her belief that anyone with that surname was obviously a very close relation. I don’t think she was right, as there are currently 3.5 million people who have the last name Boone, and I only know 7 of them.

      Anyway, the show was at the Jubilee Auditorium in Edmonton and I was tiny but I knew it was terrible. I’d never been so bored in my life. Until, Debby Boone, god bless her, (and I think he had blessed her and everyone else there because Pat Boone had just serenaded us with many odes to Jesus - which even he would have been bored by) got her chance to sing her big hit “You Light Up My Life” which had just spent 10 weeks at #1, won her a Grammy and a best new artist award. All I knew is that I was going to get my hair cut just like hers as soon as I could.

      Life-changing concert

      Fast forward three years. I was not as tiny. It was 1980. Punk and New Wave had punted Debby Boone and disco off the charts. I was back at the Jubilee Auditorium to witness the first (and last)  “Edmonton Rock Circus!”, headlined by a band that was very near and dear to my heart. ‘RollerCoaster’. It was my big brother’s band, and I thought they were the greatest band in the world! I was alone. My other brother and my sister, my parents, and the other 7 people that I know named Boone and I made up 87% of the audience. Yes, the promoter lost his shirt. But, RollerCoaster put on the show of shows, at least in my early teen mind. The fact that they only did covers of ‘The Cars’ songs didn’t seem weird to me. They were raucous and rude and kicked styrofoam heads into the audience, thus, they were rockstars, and I wanted to see more of that!

       Top three records

      Fleetwood Mac Rumours  Don’t judge me. It was the time. I was a child of the '70s and this album was and still is a pure-pop masterpiece. The vocals, are you kidding me? The guitars-so gorgeous. The stories in those lyrics—pain, anger, love, longing. The dangly balls on the album cover. Stevie’s outfit. I memorized the liner notes and every accompanying photo. I miss liner notes.

      Carole King Tapestry  Don’t judge me again. I was a teeny, tiny kid and I yes, I am a sucker for pop masterpieces. I still sing “Natural Woman” in front of the mirror with a toothbrush at least once a quarter. I didn’t know what it meant when I was 6 and singing it. But, now I get it. ps…I just checked and it is still one of the best-selling albums of all time, so feel free to judge the other millions of people who agree with me.

      Foo Fighters In Your Honour  This is hard because I love FF. But, ‘In Your Honor’ is the winner. It’s a double album…so…bonus. And there’s a duet with Norah Jones…? I mean. I love her.

      All-time favourite video

       Madonna "Lucky Star"  I liked her clothes. And she looked like a brat. Which I always wanted to be, but could never quite pull it off. ( Don’t check with my family on that, they will dispute that statement)

      What’s in your fridge

      My fridge has been ignored of late. As has everything in my home as I’ve been running around selling passes, and figuring out what to wear to Squamish Constellation Festival (single day, full weekend and VIP passes are all available at constellationfest.ca ;)

      One pint of slightly dehydrated blueberries.  I get so excited at this time of year with all the fresh fruit and I get overzealous and think I’m going to live off blueberries, peaches and cherries, so I buy all of them. Then I eat too much of them all at once and my stomach backfires on me and then I don’t want them anymore. I say to myself “I’ll make some delicious simple syrup or a cobbler out of them”…but I don’t. So the sad remnants go to the compost where at least they go back to the earth to have a new life in the garden…that I’ve completely neglected due to aforementioned festival.

      Three jars of almost-empty Matt & Steve’s Garlic & Dill Extreme Beans.  I have no idea how they got there. I recall seeing them in caesars that have been created in my kitchen at various parties. I take solace in noting that only 1/3 of the jars is past it’s "Best Before" date. But this whole process has left me with the quandary…do I amalgamate the beans? Or do I let them suffer in silence separately. I’m going with the latter. I have a festival to plan!

      One massive jar of minced California garlic from Costco. Don’t judge!  Okay, I am sensitive about this one because everyone who comes to my house who wants to cook something (which is a shockingly high number of people when I think about it ) asks for garlic, and I bring it out, and they are all like “Tamara! What are you doing? That’s so gross! It only takes 3 minutes to mince fresh garlic!” and to them I respond, “building a festival, I don’t have three minutes.”

      Squamish Constellation Festival runs July 26-28 at Hendrickson Field. For full information, including lineup, ticket prices, and performing times, go here

       

      Comments