The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and its organizer Goldenvoice are suing a music festival in Ghana called Afrochella for alleged trademark infringement, according to court documents obtained by Pitchfork.
Coachella Festival, African “Afrochella” Festival Event Organizer Sue Over Name
In a lawsuit filed in California federal court on Wednesday, Coachella and Goldenvoice claim that Afrochella is:
“Deliberately transacting in the good faith of [Coachella and Goldenvoice’s] the COACHELLA and CHELLA festivals and labels are made famous by actively promoting musical events in the United States and in Ghana using the confusingly similar trademark ‘AFROCHELLA’ and by fraudulently attempting to registered Plaintiff’s actual trademark as their own trademark. “
Today, the Cultural Management Group announced Burna Boy and Stonebwoy as the Afrochella Festival 2022 slates. #NATURE pic.twitter.com/ztKtSdvRrn
– PRESIDENT BHIM (@QwejooModesty) September 7, 2022
Afrochella 2022 is scheduled to take place on December 28 and 29 in Accra, Ghana, with artists on the bill including popular artists Burna Boy and Stonebwoy, along with Ayra Starr, Firebox DML, among others. the others.
Afrochella continues to expand their offense by promoting events in the LA area
While the event in question will be held in Africa, the lawsuit claims Afrochella expanded their infringement by promoting the events using the Afrochella name in the Los Angeles area. “
This year, Afrochella “extends their offense to United States by promoting, presenting, and/or sponsoring at least seven different tracks trademark use events AFROCHELLA in the Los Angeles area, and declined restrict the infringing use of Plaintiff’s registered trademarks, this filing is required federal action,” the court document states.
Coachella and its organizers added that the people behind Afrochella “refuse to use their own special event names… despite repeated requests from Plaintiffs”.
“Despite repeated requests from Plaintiffs, Defendants have refused to use their own special event names and stamps, and as a result, instances of actual confusion have appeared in the medium. social media.”
Coachella first warned Afrochella of trademark infringement in 2016, according to the 30-page lawsuit. Event organizers included a screenshot of one of the Afrochella promoters describing the concert as a “Coachella themed event”.
Coachella first warned against Afrochella in 2016. In its 30-page lawsuit against festival organizers in Ghana, they added a screenshot of one of the organizers. @deezydothis describes Afrochella as a “Coachella themed event” pic.twitter.com/EyAZCBiJK8
– Ebenezer Donkoh (NY DJ) (@nydjlive) October 7, 2022
Second trademark infringement lawsuit filed by Coachella festival organizers from last year
Representatives for Coachella and Goldenvoice as well as representatives for Afrochella did not immediately respond to Pitchfork’s request for comment.
Last year, Coachella and Goldenvoice filed similar lawsuits against Live Nation Entertainment for trademark infringement of a contributing nature, the studio reports.
That complaint relates to an event organized and promoted by the Twenty-Nine Palms Band of the Missing Indians called Coachella Day One 22.
In that case, Live Nation Entertainment was sued for selling tickets to the event, thereby infringing Coachella’s trademark.
That lawsuit was settled earlier this year.
