The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and its organizer Goldenvoice have sued a music festival in Ghana called Afrochella for alleged trademark infringement, according to court documents obtained by Villas.
Coachella festival, organizers of the event are suing the African festival “Afrochella” over the name
In a lawsuit filed in California federal court on Wednesday, Coachella and Goldenvoice alleged that Afrochella is:
“Deliberately trade with good will [Coachella and Goldenvoice’s] famous festivals and the COACHELLA and CHELLA trademarks, actively promoting music events in the United States and Ghana, using the confusingly similar mark ‘AFROCHELLA’ and fraudulently attempting to register the plaintiffs’ genuine trademarks as their own.”
Culture Management Group today announced Burna Boy and Stonebwoy as the headliners for Afrochella Festival 2022. #ESSENCE pic.twitter.com/ztKtSdvRrn
— PRESIDENT OF BHIM 🐊 (@QwejooModesty) September 7, 2022
Afrochella 2022 will take place on the 28th and 29th of December in Accra, Ghana, with acts including headliners Burna Boy and Stonebwoy, as well as Ayra Starr, Firebox DML and more.
Afrochella continues to expand his disruptive behavior by promoting events in Los Angeles
While the event in question will be held in Africa, the suit alleges that Afrochella expanded its infringing conduct by promoting events using the Afrochella name in the Los Angeles area.
This year, Afrochella “expanded their disruptive behavior into United States by promoting, presenting and/or sponsoring at least seven different musical works events using the sign AFRASHELLA in the Los Angeles area and refused curtail their unlawful use of the plaintiff’s registered marks, requiring the filing of this federal lawsuit,” according to court documents.
Coachella and its organizers added that those behind Afrochella “refused to accept their distinctive event name … despite repeated requests from the plaintiffs.”
“Despite repeated requests by the plaintiffs, the defendants have refused to adopt their own distinctive event names and marks, and as a result there have already been instances of actual confusion on social media.”
Coachella first warned Afrochella of trademark infringement back in 2016, according to the 30-page lawsuit. Event organizers included a screenshot from one of Afrochella’s promoters, who describes the concert as a “Coachella-themed event.”
Coachella first warned Afrochela in 2016. In the 30-page lawsuit filed against the organizers of the Ghana festival, they include a screenshot of one of the organizers @deezydothis describing Afrochella as a “Coachella themed event” pic.twitter.com/EyAZCBiJK8
— Ebenezer Donkoh (NY DJ) (@nydjlive) October 7, 2022
Organizers of the Coachella festival are filing their second trademark infringement lawsuit since 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 a similar lawsuit against Live Nation Entertainment for aiding and abetting trademark infringement, the outlet reported.
That complaint was related to an event organized and promoted by the missing Native American band Twenty Nine Palms called Coachella Day One 22.
In this case, Live Nation Entertainment was sued for selling tickets to the event, thereby infringing Coachella’s trademark rights.
That lawsuit was settled earlier this year.
