Madonna, the iconic pop singer, and Live Nation, the concert organizer, are facing a lawsuit over the delayed start of her 'Celebration Tour' concert at Brooklyn's Barclays Center. Plaintiffs Michael Fellows and Jonathan Hadden filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court of Eastern New York, alleging false advertising, negligent misrepresentation, and unfair and deceptive trade practices.
The issue arose when Madonna's concert, originally scheduled for July 2023 but postponed to December 2023 due to the singer's illness, started over two hours late on all three nights. According to court documents, the tickets indicated an 8:30 PM start, but Madonna did not take the stage until after 10:30 PM, leaving concertgoers to depart the venue around 1:00 AM. This significant delay led to inconvenience and frustration among fans, with some even being stranded due to limited public transportation options late at night.
Fellows and Hadden, who paid $155.90 and $292.50 for their tickets, respectively, argued that they would not have purchased the tickets had they known about the late start. They emphasized Madonna's history of tardiness in previous tours, including the 2016 Rebel Heart Tour and the 2019-2020 Madame X Tour.
The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages and highlights the financial burden of the pricey tickets for a concert that did not start as advertised. The plaintiffs' representatives claim that the actions of Madonna and Live Nation not only breached their contracts with ticket holders but also constituted false advertising and unfair trade practices.
Madonna and her representatives have yet to respond to the lawsuit. This is not the first time the singer has faced legal action for similar issues; in 2019, a fan named Nate Hollander sued her for starting a show in Miami Beach late.
As Madonna continues her 'Celebration Tour,' this lawsuit brings attention to the impact of late concert starts on fans' experiences and raises questions about the responsibilities of artists and concert organizers in adhering to advertised schedules. The case remains pending, and its outcome may set a precedent for how such issues are addressed in the entertainment industry.
