Merch Traffic, the corporate that creates Metallica’s touring merchandise, filed a lawsuit within the St. Louis federal court docket final week in hopes of stopping bootleg merch gross sales at their present within the metropolis this weekend, in accordance to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
If you’ve got been to a live performance earlier than, there isn’t any doubt you’ve got seen people standing within the car parking zone of the venue afterwards promoting knockoff variations of the band’s merch for round half the value. While these gives are seemingly very engaging for followers who don’t need to pay the usually hefty costs of the objects accessible contained in the venue, it is copyright infringement.
Thus, Merch Traffic, who additionally produces merch for a lot of different large-scale artists, filed the swimsuit on Oct. 26 forward of the band’s exhibits on Nov. 3 and 5 in St. Louis, claiming copyright infringement by “various John and Jane Does seeking to sell merch with a counterfeit Metallica label.” They’ve basically requested the choose to cease the sale of bootleg objects by permitting regulation enforcement to confiscate such objects, and destroy them.
“The infringing merchandise is of the same general appearance as plaintiff’s merchandise and is likely to cause confusion among prospective purchasers,” the swimsuit argued. “Further, the infringing merchandise sold and to be sold by defendants is generally of inferior quality.”
The company filed similar suits in other states as well, including New Jersey, New York and Texas.
“Upon information and belief, (bootleggers) will continue to engage in such infringing activities in this state and elsewhere … and are likely to continue such activities throughout the tour, to the great injury of plaintiff and (Metallica),” the suit continued.
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After the band’s show in St. Louis this weekend, they have two left in 2023 in Detroit, Michigan. Their first scheduled performances in 2024 will take place in May in Germany, and then the next North American leg kicks off in early August. See the rest of their upcoming dates on their website.
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