Kingston Trio Sues Greek Theatre and Los Angeles Over Alleged Contract Breaches and Discrimination

The Kingston Trio, one of America's most renowned folk music groups, has initiated legal action against Los Angeles's Greek Theatre, the City of Los Angeles, Ticketmaster, and Live Nation for multiple alleged contract breaches during August 2024 concerts. The lawsuit claims these breaches resulted in millions of dollars in damages and violated both federal and state laws protecting consumers and specific demographic groups.

According to the complaint, Greek Theatre management engaged in misconduct sanctioned by Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and her appointees to the Commission on Recreation and Parks. The lawsuit alleges violations of the Federal RICO Act through the awarding of exclusive ticketing rights to Ticketmaster despite city mandates prohibiting such arrangements. The legal filing details how this alleged conspiracy affected the Kingston Trio's performances and their audience.

The lawsuit specifically highlights how Ticketmaster's ordering techniques created barriers for elderly concertgoers, who constitute approximately 85% of the Kingston Trio's audience. The complaint states that requiring apps and multiple portals effectively shut out senior citizens from purchasing tickets, constituting discrimination under California's Unruh Act. Greek Theatre management had been informed in writing about the demographic composition of the Trio's audience prior to the concerts.

Additional allegations center on Greek Theatre's failure to fulfill production agreements for the August 2024 concerts. The venue allegedly neglected to film and deliver professional video and audio recordings, with management '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 current lawsuit appears to continue a historical pattern of controversy surrounding Greek Theatre management contracts dating back to 1992. Previous legal actions have involved allegations of political corruption by city council members and improper awarding of exclusive agreements to well-connected entertainment management companies rather than through open bidding processes.

The Kingston Trio's legal action coincides with broader regulatory scrutiny of Ticketmaster and Live Nation. The Federal Trade Commission and seven states are currently suing the companies for allegedly coordinating with ticket resellers and allowing them to harvest millions of dollars' worth of tickets for resale at significant markups. These parallel legal challenges suggest systemic issues within the ticketing and venue management industry that extend beyond the Kingston Trio's specific case.

The lawsuit characterizes the alleged misconduct as reflecting a RICO conspiracy reaching the Mayor's office, connecting it to other recent controversies including the mishandling of the Palisades Fire, missing millions allocated for homeless services, and ongoing class action litigation regarding accessibility for handicapped individuals at city recreation facilities. The plaintiff has demanded a trial by jury on all issues raised in the complaint available at https://www.centraldistrictca.com/civil-case-filings/.