Neck of the Woods

This Inner Richmond Bar and Club Could Face A $30,000 Fine for Copyright Infringement | Eater SF

"A Clement Street haunt for college students and fans of lowkey shows, the bar is being sued by ASCAP for allegedly failing to pay licensing fees — violations that could carry fines up to $30,000. Hoodline notes the fee is a relatively small annual payment (a prominent bar owner estimated around $1,000) that many bars pay to play songs on jukeboxes, at open mics, and similar events; the San Francisco Examiner reports the venue held an ASCAP license from 2009 to 2015 but failed to pay its dues and had that license terminated. ASCAP says it has repeatedly tried to offer a license and educate owners, and frames the payment as compensation for musicians who are often paid poorly in the digital age." - Paolo Bicchieri