The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) filed a copyright infringement action this week against New Haven’s Club Vandome over its use of copyrighted music, the group announced on Tuesday.
The club, located at 102 Hamilton St., allegedly played copyrighted music without paying licensing fees, ASCAP charged in its complaint, filed in U.S. District Court. The suit asks the club to stop playing copyrighted music and asks the court to award damages of up to $30,000 for each violation, plus attorney’s fees.
According to the complaint, the club’s operators, Hamilton Street Enterprises LLC and William A. Santagata, agreed to a license agreement with ASCAP in 2013 but never paid the required fees. The club was notified that it was infringing on copyright on June 6 of this year and ASCAP offered a settlement, but the club never responded, the complaint states.
Club Vandome’s owners did not immediately respond to requests for comment. No attorney was listed as representing the business in court documents as of Friday.
ASCAP filed the suit on behalf of four artists’ representatives: Universal Music Corp., The Kid Slim Music, Songs Of Peer, Ltd., and WC Music Corp.
ASCAP Executive Vice President of Licensing Stephanie Ruyle said, “Songwriters depend on their performance royalties to make a living from their creative work, and it is only fair that businesses who were fortunate to receive government relief during the tough times to cover their expenses, like Club Vandome, pay the songwriters whose music brings such value to their establishments.”
Club Vandome was one of nine clubs nationwide sued for copyright infringement this week by ASCAP, which represents 875,000 independent songwriters, composers and music publishers.
Contact Liese Klein at lklein@newhavenbiz.com.
