TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Stacey Shrader Joslin on Jul 20, 2020

Virgin Fest Los Angeles has sued talent agency William Morris Endeavor, musicians Lizzo, Kali Uchis and Ellie Goulding, and the artists’ touring companies to recover prepaid deposits after California's stay-at-home order caused the festival to be canceled. The Virgin Mobile-sponsored festival had been scheduled to make its debut the first weekend of June. All of the other artist agencies returned, or agreed to return, the full amount of the deposits for the performances. However, Endeavor refused, saying the artists were entitled to keep the deposits because they were “ready, willing and able to perform.” The festival argues that a force majeure provision in the artists' contracts requires the return of deposits if the festival is canceled for an uncontrollable factor. Law.com has the story.