Pop star Madonna sued over late concert

Two Madonna enthusiasts in New York City have filed a lawsuit against the pop icon, asserting that her delayed concert start disrupted their work schedules as they “had to get up early to go to work” the following morning.

Michael Fellows and Jonathan Hadden lodged the lawsuit on Wednesday in Brooklyn federal court, citing their ticket purchase for the December 13 show at Barclays Center as part of Madonna’s Celebration tour.

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Despite the advertised 8.30pm start time, the 65-year-old singer did not grace the stage until after 10.30pm, as detailed in the legal filing.

Upon leaving the concert after 1am, the plaintiffs found themselves “left stranded in the middle of the night” and faced challenges with limited transportation options, resulting in increased costs for public and private transportation or ride-sharing.

Furthermore, the belated conclusion of the weeknight performance allegedly hampered their ability to fulfill family responsibilities the next day, as outlined in the lawsuit.

Fellows and Hadden are alleging Madonna, Barclays Center, and tour promoter Live Nation of engaging in “unconscionable, unfair, and/or deceptive trade practices” due to the delayed commencement of the concert. They argue that this delay constitutes a breach of contract and characterizes “a wanton exercise in false advertising.”

The lawsuit is actively seeking class action status to represent attendees of other Celebration tour shows that started late, including Madonna’s subsequent two concerts in New York on December 14 and 16.

It’s worth noting that delays in the live music industry are not uncommon. Madonna herself has faced similar legal challenges, such as in 2019 when a Florida fan contended that her tardiness during the Madame X tour breached the contract. Additionally, in 2020, two New York concertgoers filed a lawsuit on similar grounds. However, both of these lawsuits were later voluntarily dismissed.

The ongoing Celebration tour by Madonna had to be rescheduled from last July following the singer’s hospitalization due to a bacterial infection. The tour is set to continue, with its final destination scheduled in Mexico in April.