Whenever you go to concerts, there's a big chance that there will be vendors outside selling shirts or merchandise inspired by the headlining act that will perform on that night. However, in Metallica's case, it seems like you won't see those anymore as the merch company of the group filed a lawsuit against bootleg sellers.
According to Loudwire, Merch Traffic, the company behind the legendary band's official touring merch, reportedly filed a lawsuit in the St. Louis federal court in order to put a stop on illegal vendors as the group will be performing in the city this weekend.
Most of the time, fans prefer to buy bootleg merchandise because it costs way cheaper compared to those being sold inside the venue. However, it is considered illegal as it falls under copyright infringement.
According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the merch company filed the lawsuit on October 26 as the band is scheduled to perform in the city on November 3 and 5.
Metallica Merch Company Wants Illegal Items to be Confiscated, Destroyed
The outlet noted that the company asked the judge to stop the illegal selling of merchandise outside the venue by allowing police officers to confiscate the products 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 lawsuit stated.
Merch Traffic not only did this move in St. Louis, but they also filed a lawsuit in cities in Texas, New Jersey, and New York.
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"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 lawsuit further explained.
As of this writing, Metallica has yet to publicly comment about the matter.
Metallica Tour 2023
Metallica is currently in the middle of touring, but they only have a few shows left in the United States for this year. Check out their upcoming shows below:
November 3 in St. Louis, MO at Dome at America's Center
November 4 in St. Louis, MO at Dome at America's Center
November 10 in Detroit, MI at Ford Field
November 12 in Detroit, MI at Ford Field
Their next series of concerts after the United States leg will be in Europe and their first show will be at the Olympia Stadium in Munich, Germany, on May 24 and 26, 2024.
For more details about their upcoming shows, visit their official website at this link.
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