Three Autistic Musicians Walk Into a Bar. Featuring Vincent BIshop, Erin Adair, and Spencer Scharf
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Three Autistic Musicians Walk Into a Bar brings Vincent Bishop, Erin Adair, and Spencer Scharf to Avant-Garde Bar for a night of live music, stories, covers, original songs, and folk music chaos.
Featuring three Ottawa musicians with very different styles, the evening blends folk, country, blues, protest music, singalong traditions, humour, and whatever else happens when you give three songwriters a microphone.
Proceeds donated to Autistics for Autistics / A4A.
Tuesday, June 23
7:00–10:15 PM
Avant-Garde Bar
Admission: $20. No one turned away for lack of funds.
Erin Adair is an Ottawa folksinger, multi-instrumentalist, adaptive music teacher, and community song leader rooted in folk, protest music, and singalong traditions. A CBC Searchlight Top 4 finalist and Canadian Folk Music Award nominee, Erin has performed at Mariposa, Bluesfest, Folkfest, Jazzfest, and the NAC’s Fourth Stage. Their performances are heartfelt, funny, and participatory.
“... A gifted and deceptively dangerous artist. Watch out, fascists! She’s comin’ for ya!”
— Torquil Campbell, Stars
“Like a Leonard Cohen or someone that has a very special gift: Erin undoubtedly has that.”
— Sarah Slean
Spencer Scharf is an Ottawa-based folk, rock, and blues multi-instrumentalist known for his one-man-band performances. Performing on guitar, banjo, mandolin, ukulele, keyboard, harmonica, and vocals, he has appeared hundreds of times across the region and has been invited repeatedly to perform at Ottawa Bluesfest and CityFolk. Instagram: @scharfspencer Website: spencerscharf.com
"An absolute genius"
— AJ Sauvé, RBC Bluesfest’s Director of Media Relations
“A fantastic musician with a great repertoire of songs…usually travelling with about a dozen different instruments, he never fails to put on a show.”
— Aerik Clinton Watson, Renfrew Concert in the Park
Vincent Bishop is an Ottawa-based bilingual folk/country singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. A Carleton music graduate, he has released three albums and received the Robert Paquette Fund and Réseau Ontario’s “Coup de Foudre Salut!” award. He has also been nominated annually for Francophone Artist of the Year at the CMAOntario Awards since 2022. He performs with guitar, ukulele, banjo, mandolin, clarinet, jaw harp, bass, beatboxing, and live looping. His music explores optimism, identity, and his experience as an autistic artist.
“Traçant son chemin dans l’industrie musicale loin des sentiers battus, Vincent fait souvent appel à des rythmes entraînants et des mélodies légères pour transmettre des messages importants sur la différence et la discrimination.”
— Fondation Franco-Ontarienne
(English translation: “Carving out a path in the music industry far from the beaten track, Vincent often uses catchy rhythms and light melodies to share important messages about difference and discrimination. ”)
Accessibility Note:
This space is not fully wheelchair accessible. There are two steps into the performance area. A portable ramp will be available, but it may be steep and may require assistance. The ramp is 71.5” long and 29” wide. The front door has a 33” clear opening. The landing at the top is small, so turning/repositioning may be difficult for some larger mobility devices, power chairs, or scooters.
Sensory note:
This is still a bar, so it may be crowded and noisy. Please come with that in mind and make the choice that feels right for you. We’ll have ear protectors available to borrow, and I’ll bring some fidget toys.
Please contact us with specific access questions.
Featuring three Ottawa musicians with very different styles, the evening blends folk, country, blues, protest music, singalong traditions, humour, and whatever else happens when you give three songwriters a microphone.
Proceeds donated to Autistics for Autistics / A4A.
Tuesday, June 23
7:00–10:15 PM
Avant-Garde Bar
Admission: $20. No one turned away for lack of funds.
Erin Adair is an Ottawa folksinger, multi-instrumentalist, adaptive music teacher, and community song leader rooted in folk, protest music, and singalong traditions. A CBC Searchlight Top 4 finalist and Canadian Folk Music Award nominee, Erin has performed at Mariposa, Bluesfest, Folkfest, Jazzfest, and the NAC’s Fourth Stage. Their performances are heartfelt, funny, and participatory.
“... A gifted and deceptively dangerous artist. Watch out, fascists! She’s comin’ for ya!”
— Torquil Campbell, Stars
“Like a Leonard Cohen or someone that has a very special gift: Erin undoubtedly has that.”
— Sarah Slean
Spencer Scharf is an Ottawa-based folk, rock, and blues multi-instrumentalist known for his one-man-band performances. Performing on guitar, banjo, mandolin, ukulele, keyboard, harmonica, and vocals, he has appeared hundreds of times across the region and has been invited repeatedly to perform at Ottawa Bluesfest and CityFolk. Instagram: @scharfspencer Website: spencerscharf.com
"An absolute genius"
— AJ Sauvé, RBC Bluesfest’s Director of Media Relations
“A fantastic musician with a great repertoire of songs…usually travelling with about a dozen different instruments, he never fails to put on a show.”
— Aerik Clinton Watson, Renfrew Concert in the Park
Vincent Bishop is an Ottawa-based bilingual folk/country singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. A Carleton music graduate, he has released three albums and received the Robert Paquette Fund and Réseau Ontario’s “Coup de Foudre Salut!” award. He has also been nominated annually for Francophone Artist of the Year at the CMAOntario Awards since 2022. He performs with guitar, ukulele, banjo, mandolin, clarinet, jaw harp, bass, beatboxing, and live looping. His music explores optimism, identity, and his experience as an autistic artist.
“Traçant son chemin dans l’industrie musicale loin des sentiers battus, Vincent fait souvent appel à des rythmes entraînants et des mélodies légères pour transmettre des messages importants sur la différence et la discrimination.”
— Fondation Franco-Ontarienne
(English translation: “Carving out a path in the music industry far from the beaten track, Vincent often uses catchy rhythms and light melodies to share important messages about difference and discrimination. ”)
Accessibility Note:
This space is not fully wheelchair accessible. There are two steps into the performance area. A portable ramp will be available, but it may be steep and may require assistance. The ramp is 71.5” long and 29” wide. The front door has a 33” clear opening. The landing at the top is small, so turning/repositioning may be difficult for some larger mobility devices, power chairs, or scooters.
Sensory note:
This is still a bar, so it may be crowded and noisy. Please come with that in mind and make the choice that feels right for you. We’ll have ear protectors available to borrow, and I’ll bring some fidget toys.
Please contact us with specific access questions.
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Where is it happening?
Avant-Garde Bar, Itan Advanced Tanning Studios, 133 Besserer St, Ottawa, ON K1N 6A7, Canada
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.
Host or PublisherErin Adair
