Fans In New York Sue Madonna Over Delayed Concerts

Two fans have filed a lawsuit against pop singer Madonna accusing her of delaying the start of her concert by more than two hours. 

The singer is at the centre of a federal class action lawsuit, with allegations that she commenced three New York City concerts later than the advertised schedule. According to the complainants, the delay inflicted actual legal harm on ticket buyers who were obliged to wake early for work the next day.

Two New York City men, Michael Fellows (Brooklyn) and Jonathan Hadden (The Bronx) purchased tickets for Madonna’s December 13 “Celebration” tour concert at Barclays Centre.

The concert was scheduled to start at 8:30 pm as indicated by the tickets. However, Madonna failed to take the stage until sometime after 10:45 pm, according to the lawsuit. 

Concertgoers Were Not Informed About Delayed Start

Submitted on Wednesday in the federal court of Brooklyn, the lawsuit alleges that Madonna violated her contract with concert attendees and broke New York state laws by commencing three December shows after 10:30 pm, instead of the scheduled 8:30 pm. 

In the lawsuit, the men declared that they had been “confronted with limited public transportation, limited ride-sharing, and/or increased public and private transportation costs” by the time the show concluded at 1 a.m.

“In addition, many ticket holders who attended concerts on a weeknight had to get up early to go to work and/or take care of their family responsibilities the next day,” Billboard reported.

“Defendants failed to provide any notice to the ticket holders that the concerts would start much later than the start time printed on the ticket and as advertised,” Fellows’ and Hadden’s attorneys wrote. 

Fans Seek Damages

The legal action alleges a case of negligent misrepresentation, contending that the concert organisers ought to have been aware of Madonna’s history of starting late in past instances, and should have cautioned the fans accordingly.

“Madonna has a long history of arriving and starting her concerts late, sometimes several hours late. This history occurred throughout her 2016 Rebel Heart Tour, her 2019-2020 Madame X Tour, and prior tours, where Madonna continuously started her concerts over two hours late,” the attorneys wrote. 

The lawsuit also names Live Nation and Barclays Centre as defendants, alongside Madonna. 

The plaintiffs allege that the “Defendants engaged in unconscionable, unfair, and/or deceptive trade practices by offering to the public Concerts that were promised to begin at 8:30 p.m., knowing that Madonna would most certainly not take the stage at the advertised start time”. 

Fellows and Hadden, individually, and on behalf of all Class Members, are demanding judgment against the Defendants for “actual and consequential damages” as well as “costs, pre and post-judgment interest as permitted by law, and any other relief that this Court deems just and proper”. 

Running On Madonna Time 

During Madonna’s previous Australia tour in March 2016, a review by The Music’s Liz Giuffre pointed out that one of her concerts at Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena began “an hour or so late”.

She also delayed the New Zealand leg of her show by more than an hour and a half and left concertgoers waiting over four hours for her Melbourne-exclusive show at the Forum Theatre that same year. 

At her 2016 exclusive and intimate show in Melbourne, “Tears of a Clown,” the audience was not admitted to the venue until nearly 11:00 p.m. Madonna only graced the stage at 12:50 a.m., and the concert concluded just before 3:00 a.m.