A couple of fans expressed dissatisfaction with Madonna when she commenced a recent concert in New York two hours behind schedule. When attending live performances, there is usually an understanding that the event may not kick off precisely at the designated time.
Artists may be engaged backstage or engaging in pre-show rituals, maintaining an air of suspense to heighten audience anticipation. However, Madonna’s delayed entrance at 10:30 for a December show, originally slated to start two hours earlier, prompted fans Michael Fellows and Jonathan Hadden to file a lawsuit against Madonna, Live Nation, and the Barclays Center, alleging “unconscionable, unfair, and/or deceptive trade practices.”
According to Variety, the duo points to tardy start times for Madonna’s other performances at the Barclays Center last month, as well as delays during her 2016 and 2019-2020 tours.
They argue that this pattern constitutes a “long history of arriving and starting her concerts late,” which they deem a “wanton exercise in false advertising.” The fans further claim that, due to the concert’s delayed commencement and conclusion, they encountered challenges with “limited public transportation, limited ride-sharing, and/or increased public and private transportation costs” post-show.
Alleging a history of “negligent misrepresentation” regarding Madonna’s concerts, the pair aims to escalate the matter into a class-action lawsuit.
While Madonna and her team have not yet responded to these allegations, it is noteworthy that Madonna’s recent touring schedule experienced a temporary halt due to what she described as a “strange bacterial infection” that nearly claimed her life over the summer.
During one of the Barclays Center shows in New York, Madonna expressed to the audience that her return to performing was a “fucking miracle.”