Coachella Files Lawsuit Against Competing Music Festival 'Hoodchella'

Organisers of the hugely popular Coachella festival have filed a lawsuit against competing LA-based music event Hoodchella demanding that its name be changed. 

As Billboard reports, the lawsuit was filed in US district court yesterday and Coachella organisers are alleging Hoodchella of "trademark and service mark infringement, false designation of origin, dilution, unfair competition" and "cybersquatting", a term referencing the festival's domain name. 

Interestingly, 2016 will mark Hoodchella's second year, after it was introduced last April in the middle of Coachella's opening weekend as a one-day festival. 

However, this year Hoodchella has expanded to three days (8-10 April) and just a week before Coachella kicks off, which may be the reason organisers have just now picked up on it. 

Coachella organisers are seeking injunctive relief to put an immediate stop to the rival festival, as well as $US100,000 in damages and for the domain name to be scrapped. 

It has been reported that Hoodchella promoter Kamil Al-Ahdali has ignored repeated requests by Coachella to change the name of the event in the past. 

The underground music festival has since launched a Change.org petition arguing that it has no association with Coachella. 

"It's clear that our fan base knows we are two completely different establishments being that we already gained a fan base from our past underground art and music shows," the petition reads.

While Hoodchella are yet to announce their 2016 bill, this year's Coachella festival will be headlined by the reformed LCD Soundsystem, the classic Guns N' Roses line-up and Calvin Harris.