Madonna Issues Strong Response to Lawsuit Regarding Late Concert Start Times
Pop icon Madonna is not taking a recent lawsuit lightly, responding robustly to legal action filed by two disgruntled fans from New York City. The fans expressed dissatisfaction after a show in Madonna’s Celebration tour commenced approximately two hours later than the time indicated on their tickets.
In a joint statement, tour company Live Nation and Madonna’s management addressed the allegations, stating, “The shows opened in North America at Barclays in Brooklyn as planned, with the exception of a technical issue on Dec. 13 during soundcheck. This caused a delay that was well documented in press reports at the time. We intend to defend this case vigorously.”
A source informed PEOPLE in December that the delay on Dec. 13 was attributed to “issues during soundcheck that caused the schedule to get delayed by an hour.”
Madonna’s representatives were contacted by EW for additional comments. The Dec. 14 performance also faced a delayed start, beginning after 10:00 p.m. local time despite the advertised start time of 8:30 p.m.
The Celebration Tour, which commenced in Europe two months prior, faced similar criticisms during the second London date in October. Fans reported that Madonna took the stage late and concluded the show early.
Accusing Madonna, Live Nation, and the venue of “unconscionable, unfair, and/or deceptive trade practices,” Michael Fellows and Jonathan Hadden filed the lawsuit in early January. They raised concerns about the late start time and the show allegedly finishing around 1 a.m., posing challenges for attendees with early work or family responsibilities the next day.
Social media erupted with criticism of Madonna, with The View’s panelists joining the conversation. Joy Behar remarked, “I personally wouldn’t wait two hours to get a hot oil massage from George Clooney, much less a concert by anybody,” while Sara Haines deemed the delays “disrespectful” to Madonna’s fans.
The legal dispute continues to unfold as Madonna and her team stand firm in their defense against the accusations.
