A step-by-step guide to siphoning gasoline from SUVs. A weekly feature in which indie rock heroes such as Will Oldham share their favorite recipes. An advice column authored by 85-year-old bluesman T-Model Ford.
These are the kinds of stories found in the pages of Arthur, a free bimonthly magazine dedicated to under-the-radar art, music and views.
On Sunday and Monday, however, the underground takes the stage when the 3-year-old 'zine mounts ArthurFest -- a two-day celebration of music and culture at Barnsdall Art Park in Los Feliz. The event features Yoko Ono; a host of respected indie rock bands such as Sonic Youth, Spoon and Sleater-Kinney; and a smattering of rare films, poetry and other creative outbursts.
That a publication such as Arthur -- which relies on an all-volunteer network to distribute its 50,000 copies to 900 locations nationwide -- could front such a festival speaks to its independent spirit and sense of community.
"I call it the next iteration of DIY," says Arthur editor/mastermind Jay Babcock, referencing the initials that became an indie rock ethos in the 1980s. "Instead of do it yourself, it's DIO -- do it ourselves.
"Most of the [magazine's] contributors work for nothing or for trade. It's a different way of doing things and it's a different amount of trust involved. It allows you to put a labor of love out there instead of just a labor for gold."
It also fosters the kind of artistic sprawl that will transform the 36-acre art park from a quiet, hilltop oasis into vibrant scene with three stages of entertainment for a crowd expected to number about 2,000.
"I grew up in Hollywood and used to go to Barnsdall Park for arts and crafts classes," says Janet Weiss of Sleater-Kinney, whose classic rock-fueled new album "The Woods" was championed in Arthur's pages. "That was my childhood haunt; it'll be really interesting going back and playing a show."
Like the magazine, Arthur's leap to the stage was far from a do-it-yourself enterprise. Inspired by earlier success with an Arthur-sponsored show at Austin's South by Southwest music festival, Babcock teamed with Spaceland Productions' Mitchell Frank to assemble his "dream bill," a diverse lineup of artists that would provide a home for not only his favorite bands but also the magazine's growing legion of readers.
