Pop icon Madonna is facing a legal challenge as two of her fans file a lawsuit over alleged significant delays in her recent New York concerts.
Michael Fellows and Jonathan Hadden, the plaintiffs, claim that Madonna's shows, scheduled to commence at 8:30 PM EST, began more than two hours behind schedule on each of the three nights, concluding around 1:00 AM.
The legal action targets the concert promoter Live Nation and the venue Barclays Center, asserting charges of false advertising, negligent misrepresentation, and unfair trade practices.
The lawsuit underscores the inconvenience faced by ticketholders, particularly those attending weeknight concerts who had early work commitments or family responsibilities the next day.
According to court documents, the lack of notice about the substantial delays led to fans waiting for hours, and the plaintiffs contend that they "would not have paid for tickets" had they been aware of the late start times. The legal action seeks unspecified damages against Live Nation and Barclays Center.
The court papers highlight Madonna's history of starting concerts late, citing instances from her 2016 Rebel Heart Tour, the 2019-2020 Madame X Tour, and previous tours where the singer consistently began performances over two hours behind schedule.
The plaintiffs emphasize that the singer's tardiness is not a new occurrence, with fans reportedly experiencing delays in previous concert tours.
Many have criticized the singer's behavior and expressed support for the lawsuit.
This is not the first instance where Madonna's punctuality, or lack thereof, has faced legal scrutiny. In 2019, a fan sued over a delayed US show, but the case was voluntarily dismissed a month later.
Madonna responded to previous criticisms about her punctuality in 2019 with a social media post, stating, "There's something that you all need to understand. And that is, that a queen is never late."
Madonna encountered a setback last year when her Celebration Tour had to be postponed due to a "serious" bacterial infection that led to her hospitalization in June 2023. Ultimately, the iconic singer commenced her greatest hits tour in October 2023, deviating from the original plan of starting the tour in July.
