Karaoke Night Gets Wicker Park Pizzeria Sued

CHICAGO, IL - A Chicago pizza restaurant is being sued for using songs from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Weezer, Willie Nelson and others during karaoke nights without permission.

Broadcast Music Inc. and Sony allege ‘Piece,’ a pizzeria in Wicker Park on North Avenue, is guilty of copyright infringement, and names its owner, Bill Jacobs, in a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court Wednesday, according to media reports.

Jacobs said Thursday he “cannot comment at this time.”

Specifically, the suit mentioned three performances on Aug. 23, 2015, in which “Crazy” by Willie Nelson, “Give It Away” by the Red Hot Chili Peppers and “Say It Ain’t So” by Weezer were performed to a backbeat by a live band according to the Sun-Times. They are accused in the suit of doing so “without a license or permission to do so.”

The suit says the business, which advertises karaoke events on its website, has been contacted numerous times since May of 2014.