The world of luxury Las Vegas karaoke is reeling with news of a $264 million lawsuit filed by Sybersound Records Inc. against Apollo Global Management Inc. and the Venetian Las Vegas, as reported by Bloomberg. Sybersound is a distributor of karaoke tracks and owner the Party Tyme karaoke system, and its lawsuit accuses Kamu, "the first high-end karaoke club on the Las Vegas Strip" according to the Venetian's official site, of using Sybersound tracks on YouTube in their karaoke rooms instead of paying the proper licensing fees.
Here's some more from the Venetian site's listing for the business:
"With thousands of songs to choose from, aspiring vocalists can sing along to the hottest tracks. Guests can even stream music from their personal phones through Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Using the most advanced software, each room offers an unmatched audio and visual experience. Upon request, rooms can be turned in [sic] private e-gaming suites or a private club complete with bottle service."
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The lawsuit accuses Kamu of using pilfered Sybersound tracks to generate "substantial" profits. It's clear that Kamu is far from a typical karaoke joint, and after 10 PM some of the rooms can go for "a minimum of $4,000," "to which are added bottle service, food, and other amenities," per the lawsuit.
But a spokesman for Apollo says the company has nothing to do with the way Kamu is run:
"Neither Apollo nor The Venetian Resort owns, operates, or controls the Grand Canal Shoppes or its tenant, Kamu Ultra Karaoke…Naming an unrelated party in such a lawsuit is a blatant grab for publicity."
Brookfield Properties, the company that owns the Venetian's Grand Canal Shoppes where Kamu is located, is also named in the suit. Sybersound, which is distributed by Universal Music Group, wants $150,000 per individual infraction, and using that figure came up with at least $264 million in damages. The suit calls Kamu's practices "naked theft and piracy" and claims that the karaoke lounge was using tracks that were intended for non-commercial listening in a clearly, and lucratively, commercial manner.
