English as a Second Language consists of Jennifer Wade (Promotions, Booking, Event-Coordinating) BUS (Founder, DJ), Skinny Bones (DJ, Producer, Graphic Design) and Bowly aka DJ Sharivari (DJ, Producer) a crew dedicated to popularizing UK sub-genres; Garage, Grime, Dubstep, Bassline, Jungle and UK Funky. Conceptually the team works together to create unique events including MTL FUNKY. Outside of pushing new UK genres, the focus of the clique is to create positive vibes and a sense of community. With two producers, rare dubs, and UK style mixing, the E.S.L. crew takes it, every time.

E.S.L. will be rocking the zone Piknic at Osheaga this Saturday July, 31 from 13:00 to 15:30 and DJ Bus will be closing the festivities with a solo set starting at 21:00. Don’t miss one of the most highly-anticipated Piknic event of the year.

Read on and check out the Q&As we did with Sharivari, Skinny Bones, and Bus.

SHARIVARI

After discovering Grime, UK Garage and Detroit Techno, Sharivari (Bowly when he is producing) started out a thorough exploration of the avatars of international House (and dance music in general), which he shares in each of his sets with all the willing dancers. Anybody into deep bass and syncopated percussions should keep an eye open on him.

State your name:

Sharivari (a.k.a. Bowly)

How did you get into this?

I blame Dizzee Rascal, Skinny Bones, Simoncalledpeter and David Lafrance.

What’s your ideal setup to rock a crowd?

Two turntable, a mixer, wax, Skinny Bones & BUS

What do you usually bring to a picnic?

Pastis, sun dried black olives, baguette,prosciutto, cheese.

What’s the first song that made you go crazy?

Ahem... Gold "Calicoba"

What’s the last song that made you go crazy?

Not sure I can reveal this... it's a tough one too because there's the Internet, you know. Let's say Scott Grooves "Birdcall". Ask me in two hours and it will be different.

What song will you never drop?

I don't concentrate on knowing what I will NOT play. When I really hate something I tend to forget about it very quickly. This said, anything sampling Carl Orff's Carmina Burana is usually going right to the trashcan.

Funniest request you’ve ever gotten?

Not really a request but once a guy came at the end of a set and told me "It was really a good set. But you know what? You should wear a track suit." Guess what? The dude WAS wearing a track suit.

Most memorable DJ experience?

Dropping Can "Future Days (Blade Runner mix)" (Carl Craig remix) at 8 in the morning at our 2010 New Years' Eve party while the sun was rising.

Biggest fail of your career?

I will say the same as BUS. We booked Cooly G for a show in Montreal, but her north-american tour got canceled two days ahead of the event. It was such a disappointment.

I say Piknic, you say...

Squirrels?


SKINNY BONES

Montreal-based Leon Lo has been active in the city's musical activity since the turn of the millenium. Under numerous guises, he has been involved in indepedent, experimental, electro-acoustic, improvised, electronic and free-jazz endeavours. His Skinnybones project is an exploration of the myriad sounds of the post-Garage lineage. He is an active member of the ESL Crew.

State your name:

Skinnybones vs Léon Lo

How did you get into this?

Jungle room at Horizons, despite Bukem's no-show.

What’s your ideal setup to rock a crowd?

Rocks. Lots of them.

What do you usually bring to a picnic?

Vino Verde

What’s the first song that made you go crazy?

“Enola Gay” by OMD

What’s the last song that made you go crazy?

Good Life” the Geenius and KatieB refix

What song will you never drop?

Either “Wind of Change” by Scorpions, or “Total Sex” by Whitehouse

Funniest request you’ve ever gotten?

"Quessé qu't'as dans tes recors là?"

Most memorable DJ experience?

The time the music was so loud it alerted the mothership and they beamed me up just as the womp womp break in “Doom's Night” was coming in...perfect timing!

Biggest fail of your career?

Not being beamed up by the mothership every time I play.

I say Piknic, you say...

"Vino Verde!"


BUS
One and a half years into his Montreal visit E.S.L. Crew founder / front man DJ BUS earned his stripes mixing MTL loft parties last summer. Raised in South America (Chile) and England (London) BUS fills his crates with both tropical and underground sounds. With his crazy mixing and moving tracks BUS can quickly decorate a colorful set. Heads hunt this man.

State your name:
DJ BUS

How did you get into this?

I moved to England when I was 16 (2001) and worked as a 'trolley-boy' at Sainsburys Supermarket. I pushed carts with this older dude that was a total 'drum n bass' head. We would skip out and listen to tapes in his car instead of working. The energy of those live parties were amazing. I knew I was going to get sucked in.

What’s your ideal setup to rock a crowd?

I love when I've got a new angle / style.

What do you usually bring to a picnic?

Wine, Cheese, Bread, Fruits, Water, Sun Block and my Dog (Toast).

What’s the first song that made you go crazy?

Body Rock by Andy C and Shimon

What’s the last song that made you go crazy?

I can't tell you that! Really tho... I won't even play it for my girlfriend 'til Piknic.

What song will you never drop?

I've made bold statements like this before and later on when the time was right, had to eat my words - No Comment.

Funniest request you’ve ever gotten?

In college someone came up to me asking me to play something she could dance to. I was playing “Pass That Dutch” by Missy Elliot - If you can't dance to “Pass That Dutch” by Missy, you just can't dance.

Most memorable DJ experience?

Playing UK Funky at a Komodo Dubs (dubstep) show and having the crowd rush the stage.

Biggest fail of your career?

We tried to bring Cooly G on July 8th and her whole tour got canceled. That was very unfortunate.

I say Piknic, you say...

"Idee Tropical" by Bowly