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

Sidewalk Cellist

Who are you

My name is Clara, I'm a punk-rock-yogi cellist, and I take it outside. I put beats in my Bach, mix a little French impressionism with my metal, and throw a bit of a Buddhist philosophy in some jazz. I've been Vancouver's Sidewalk Cellist since I was 14 and this year I'm doing free outdoor cello concerts in Canada, Cambodia, Burma, Nepal, and Europe.

First concert

When I was in eighth grade I listened to the radio and called in to try to win anything I could. One time, I actually got through and won two tickets to Warped Tour. I had no idea what I was in for but my friend Stacy filled me in on the basics: sneak in some drugs, a flask, and get ready to mosh. You should know that I am 5'0'', so moshing is genuinely both terrifying and thrilling. I found my way near the front of the stage for Dropkick Murphys but as soon as the band came on-stage everyone was pushing forward and I was getting squished. This giiiiiant man with a huge beard saw me and with a heavy Scottish accent yelled: "Yer tew littal! I'm gettin ya oot!!", picked me up above his head, aaaaaand that was the first time I crowd surfed!

Life-changing concert

The summer preceding my last year at UBC I was trying to decide whether I should pursue a career in musicology or performance. I'd been dealing with tendonitis issues and developing an obsession with Schostakotwitsch, so it wasn't going to be an easy decision. A friend took me to see Jason Weebly at the Commercial Drive Legion and I seriously had my socks knocked off--the relationship between that man and his hat alone made my jaw drop. It was the most inspirational one-man show I had ever seen in my life and right then and there, I knew what I had to do.

Top three records

Chad Vangaalen Soft Airplane Chad Vangaalen's Soft Airplane will always have a special place in my heart. My roommates and I once hosted a pants-off-dance-off (note: pants were optional, NOT forcibly removed) where one of my friends sported psychedelic leopard print tights on his lean, cyclist legs. This album will always conjure happy images of many ridiculous and spontaneous dance parties.

Igor Stravinsky The Rite of Spring Because I secretly want to learn ALL of the moves.....

David Bowie Nothing Has Changed (Extended Edition) I cannot tell you how many times I have missed yoga class or have been unable to leave the house because I just can't bring myself to turn this album off....

All-time favourite video

Talking Heads Stop Making Sense I wasn't allowed to watch music videos when I was growing up, and when I moved out on my own I didn't have cable. So... I chose a 'concert movie', which I love because of David Byrne's progressively bigger suits.

What's in your fridge

Green tea powder. I have one package of Japanese matcha green tea powder from before the Fukushima nuclear explosion. I'm rationing it for life!

Dutch cocoa. One of my number one ingredients for a happy life is deep dark dutch cocoa--Fry's can eat shit. If cocoa isn't black as death it isn't worth the light of day.

Tonic water. Our fridge currently holds four 2L bottles of opened, flat tonic water and soda water. I'm saving it for the zombie apocalypse when it'll be daaaaaamn refreshing.

As part of her Free Outdoor Cello Concerts in Vancouver, Sidewalk Cellist performs off Main Street and 16th on June 19 and near Commercial and Venables on June 26. Both shows will run from 2 to 4 PM. Concert-goers will have to look on the sidewalk, RSVP on Facebook, or check out www.sidewalkcellist.com for more clues.