19-1-2024 (BROOKLYN) Madonna, the renowned singer, is now facing legal action as disgruntled fans, Michael Fellows and Jonathan Hadden, have filed a lawsuit against her and Live Nation, the concert promoters. The lawsuit, filed in the US District Court of Eastern New York, accuses Madonna of false advertising and claims that concertgoers were misled into purchasing tickets for her performances at the Barclays Centre in Brooklyn. The plaintiffs argue that they were “lulled into purchasing tickets” for a timely show by one of the music industry’s leading performers.
The controversy stems from Madonna’s “Celebration” show on December 13, one of three concerts she performed at the venue. Originally scheduled for July 2023 but postponed due to “illness,” the concert was rescheduled for December of the same year. Despite being advertised to start at 8:30 pm (9:30 am Singapore time), Madonna did not take the stage until after 10:30 pm on all three nights. Many concert attendees reportedly left the Barclays Centre after 1 am, causing inconvenience and various issues related to transportation and lack of sleep for the next day’s responsibilities.
In the court documents obtained by RadarOnline.com, Fellows and Hadden claim that the delayed start time resulted in “limited public transportation, limited ride-sharing, and/or increased public and private transportation costs.” They accuse Madonna of demonstrating a “flippant difficulty in ensuring a timely or complete performance” and engaging in “false advertising, negligent misrepresentation, and unfair and deceptive trade practices.”
The lawsuit also highlights Madonna’s history of tardiness, referring to previous instances during her 2016 Rebel Heart tour and other stops on her current Celebration run of shows. The plaintiffs argue that concertgoers were not provided with any notice regarding the delayed start times, causing them to wait for hours at the venue.
Michael Fellows, who paid $155.90 (S$209) for his ticket, and Jonathan Hadden, who spent $292.50, are seeking unspecified damages, including statutory damages, treble damages, exemplary damages, as well as costs and attorneys’ fees. They have requested a trial by jury to address their grievances.
Madonna has yet to respond publicly to the lawsuit, and her representatives have not issued any official statements regarding the matter.
