Kingston Trio Sues Greek Theatre, City of Los Angeles Over Alleged Contract Breaches and Discrimination
The Kingston Trio has filed a major lawsuit alleging breach of contract, age discrimination, and RICO Act violations by the Greek Theatre, City of Los Angeles, and ticketing companies, highlighting systemic issues in public venue management.
The Kingston Trio, one of America's most renowned folk music groups, has filed a significant lawsuit against Los Angeles's Greek Theatre, the City of Los Angeles, Ticketmaster, and Live Nation for multiple alleged contract breaches causing millions in damages. The legal action centers on the group's August 2024 concerts at the historic venue, where management failures and ticketing practices allegedly violated both contractual obligations and civil rights protections.
The lawsuit alleges that Greek Theatre management, sanctioned by Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and her appointees to the Commission on Recreation and Parks, violated the Federal RICO Act by awarding Ticketmaster exclusive ticketing rights in contravention of city mandates prohibiting such arrangements. This alleged misconduct forms part of what the complaint describes as a broader pattern of improper contracting practices at the venue dating back to 1992, involving political corruption and preferential treatment for well-connected entertainment companies.
A particularly concerning aspect of the case involves allegations of age discrimination against the venue's elderly patrons. The complaint states that Ticketmaster's non-user-friendly ordering techniques, requiring mobile apps and complex online portals, created significant barriers for senior citizens attempting to purchase tickets. Given that elderly fans constitute approximately 85% of The Kingston Trio's audience, and that Greek Theatre management was allegedly aware of this demographic in writing beforehand, the practices potentially violate California's Unruh Act prohibiting discrimination in public facility access.
The production failures extend beyond ticketing issues to include significant negligence in recording obligations. Greek Theatre management allegedly breached their two-night concert production agreement by failing to film and deliver professional video and audio recordings, specifically "forgetting" to record one full day of the two-day concert series. This negligence resulted in the cancellation of a planned two-hour documentary film and double live album, along with future large-venue concert opportunities for the group.
The Kingston Trio's legal challenges against Ticketmaster align with broader regulatory scrutiny of the ticketing giant. The Federal Trade Commission and seven states are currently suing Ticketmaster and parent company Live Nation Entertainment, accusing them of coordinating with ticket resellers and allowing brokers to harvest millions of dollars' worth of tickets for resale at significant markups. These federal allegations mirror concerns about anti-competitive practices in the entertainment industry. View the federal complaint details at https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases.
The lawsuit portrays these alleged breaches as part of a RICO conspiracy reaching the highest levels of Los Angeles city government. The complaint connects the Greek Theatre situation to other controversies involving Mayor Bass's administration, including mishandling of the Palisades Fire, accountability issues with homeless funding, and accessibility lawsuits regarding handicapped access to city facilities. The plaintiff is demanding a jury trial on all issues outlined in the legal filing available at https://www.courts.ca.gov/documents/complaint-form.pdf.
This case highlights ongoing tensions between artists, public venues, and ticketing monopolies, while raising important questions about age discrimination in digital ticketing systems and the proper management of public entertainment facilities. The outcome could establish significant precedents for how municipalities manage venue contracts and protect vulnerable populations' access to cultural events.