The sound and lighting provider for LouFest has sued the music festival after the event was abruptly canceled this summer.
Logic Systems Sound and Lighting Inc., of Valley Park, said in its suit, filed last month in St. Louis County Circuit Court against Listen Live Entertainment LLC, which owns LouFest, that it's out $55,082 because the 2018 event, scheduled for Sept. 8-9, was canceled.
Logic Systems said it entered into a contract with Listen Live to provide sound and light at four stages, at an agreed amount of $124,638. None of that was paid, it said in the lawsuit.
Logic Systems said it also provided services to LouFest at other events — the Faye Fest Music Festival in Fayetteville, Illinois; the Uncorked event at Kiener Plaza; and Grub & Groove in Francis Park — for which Listen Live owed $17,064, which also had not been paid.
The lawsuit seeks a judgment of more than $25,000.
With respect to the LouFest event, Logic Systems said it requested payment upfront "due to defendant LouFest's history of chronically delayed payments..."
The legal action marks the first against LouFest after the event's cancellation, according to a search of court records.
Logic Systems Partner Chip Self did not immediately respond to a request for comment, nor did his lawyer, Tony Pezzani of Engelmeyer & Pezzani LLC.
“The company has recently retained counsel and will file a responsive pleading setting forth its defense to the lawsuit in due course while working diligently to move forward keeping the best interests of our stakeholders, vendors and sponsors in mind," said Mike Van Hee, managing partner of Listen Live Entertainment.
After the cancellation of the event, which previously had been held in Forest Park, Van Hee blamed weather and the media; St. Louis Public Radio had reported that contractors booked to provide essential services were pulling out, and the Business Journal reported that Van Hee's old firm, which did work for LouFest, faced tax liens and was dissolved by the state.
LouFest’s founder, Brian Cohen, sold his stake in Listen Live in 2016. He launched the festival in 2010.
Listen Live once produced LouFest with Austin, Texas-based C3 Presents. Van Hee said previously that C3, which produces the Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits festivals, has had no involvement in LouFest since 2016.
