Jive & Wail in Maplewood Closes; Lawsuits Still Pending

By Sarah Fenske Mon., Oct. 18 2010 at 11:36 AM

jiveandwail.com

The Jive & Wail's Maplewood outpost has closed. The corner storefront has "For Lease" signs on it, and no mention of the establishment appears on the venue's website.

In July, the limited liability company that runs the Maplewood location, and its owner, Stephen L. Benner, were sued by BMI and a host of copyright holders it represents, alleging nineteen counts of copyright infringement. The suit attempted to hold both the company and Benner himself liable.

Records show that the lawsuit is still pending in federal court. Both the company and Benner, responding through their mutual attorney Harjot S. Padda of St. Louis, denied the allegations in court filings. Benner also argued that he is not liable as an individual.

Padda did not respond to messages seeking comment as to how the club's closure would affect the lawsuit. Presumably, however, both the limited liability company and Benner could still be on the hook for payment, since BMI sued over music performances that occurred earlier this year.

(With additional reporting by Annie Zaleski.)