Coachella Wins Order Blocking D.C.-Based ‘Moechella’ Festival

Coachella Music Festival LLC, the company behind the popular California music event, persuaded a federal judge to block the use of “Moechella” to promote a Washington, D.C., festival based around go-go music.

Moechella was launched in 2019 by the informal Long Live Go-Go movement, which was protesting restrictions on playing loud music in the U Street neighborhood in Washington, along with the broader perceived loss of Black culture in the city. Go-go is a genre of funk music developed by Black musicians in the D.C. area in the 1960s and 70s.

Judge Reggie B. Walton, of the US District Court for the District of Columbia, said Thursday that Coachella is likely to succeed on the merits of its trademark infringement lawsuit and would suffer irreparable harm without an injunction. He issued a preliminary injunction barring Moechella from using, displaying, advertising, or promoting the name while the litigation between the music festivals continues.

“Here, the Court concludes that the MOECHELLA mark is highly similar to the COCHELLA marks,” Walton wrote. “Indeed, ‘the dominant portion of both marks [i.e., CHELLA] is the same.’” The similarity of the services and goods provided—a music festival and merchandise—is also likely to lead to consumer confusion, Walton said.

The court also said it “appears” Moechella is deliberately imitating the Coachella marks, which weighs in favor of the injunction, adding it’s not credible to assume Moechella organizers Justin Johnson and Kelsye Adams weren’t familiar with Coachella’s branding.

Coachella began in 1999 in Southern California and has grown into a multiday event with nearly 750,000 annual attendees. It’s featured musicians including Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Prince, and Lady Gaga.

Johnson attempted to obtain a federal trademark registration for Moechella in 2021 but withdrew his application after Coachella objected.

Tucker Ellis LLP represents Coachella and its organizers. Linklaters LLP represents the Moechella organizers.

The case is Coachella Music Festival, LLC v. Johnson, D.D.C., 1:23-cv-00288-RBW, preliminary injunction 4/4/24.