Jacob Hickey

After two unsatisfying Lollapalooza experiences in 2006 and 2007, Jacob Hickey is pursuing a lawsuit against the festival’s organizers, C3 Presents. In January, Hickey, a 25-year-old deaf Lincoln Square resident, filed a complaint with the Department of Justice, claiming the company didn’t follow the Americans with Disabilities Act. Although he says this year’s Lolla was better in terms of deaf accessibility, there’s more work to be done.

What’s the basis for your suit?
First off, I know people are saying, “Why is a deaf person going to a concert?” It’s because most deaf people love the vibration; they love the band. It’s not just about the music, it’s about the experience that comes with the music. In 2006, organizers placed the interpreter area 50 feet directly to the side of the stage, so we all had to turn and look the complete opposite way to see what they were signing. Last year, the interpreter was on the stage, but we could not see him because the deaf-accessible area was about 200 feet away from the stage. For people to understand sign language, they need to be close up to see all the different shapes of the fingers. It’s also a safety issue. If there’s a gunfight going on, I wouldn’t know.

Did you try to tell Lolla personnel?
Yes, but they were unresponsive. As one deaf person was coming back from the bathroom, security thought he was a crowd surfer, so they actually restrained him and tried to pull him out of the assigned deaf area. It was unbelievable. After he showed his cochlear implant, they finally let him go.

Have you heard from Perry Farrell?
No. They refused to apologize. They said, “Okay, fine. We’ll give you one ticket.” But it was hell trying to get even that.