Nineteen-year-old Joshua Harmon and his parents, Paul and Sarah Harmon, of Granville, Ohio, have filed a $385,000 lawsuit against the Black Crowes. The suit, filed Monday in Tennessee's Knoxville County Circuit Court, claims that Harmon suffered "severe acoustic trauma" and "permanent damage to his right ear" while sitting in the second row of a Black Crowes show at the Tennessee Theater on April 2, 1999 "because the sound system was set up negligently." The Harmon family also names the promoter, A.C. Entertainment Inc., the venue and M&L Sound Inc. in the suit.

According to Adam Priest, the Harmons' lawyer, Joshua's ailment is impairing his performance at Ohio State. "He has trouble hearing lectures, and has trouble concentrating, since he is plagued with a constant 'white noise,'" Priest said.

At press time, no court date had been set.

A spokesperson for the Black Crowes had no comment on the case.

JAAN UHELSZKI
(April 7, 2000)