Madonna is facing a lawsuit from two New York concertgoers who claim the pop icon and her promoters violated state consumer protection laws by leaving fans stranded when her December Brooklyn concert began over two hours after its scheduled start time.
Background on the Lawsuit
The class action lawsuit was filed January 18th in Brooklyn federal court by Nate Hollander and Anthony Restaino, who each held tickets to Madonna’s December 13th concert at Barclays Center on her Celebration Tour.
According to the suit, the concert was originally scheduled to begin at 8:30 pm but Madonna did not take the stage until 11:08 pm, despite several promises from promoters Live Nation that she would appear shortly. Hollander and Restaino argue this constituted false advertising, breach of contract, and violated New York’s consumer protection law which prohibits deceptive business practices.
“By the time the concert finally began after 11:00 p.m., plaintiffs and other ticketholders had endured almost three hours of waiting—and over two hours past the start time printed on their tickets,” states the lawsuit. It also notes the show was scheduled on a Tuesday night, meaning many ticketholders likely had work or school obligations early the next morning assuming an on-time start.
Delay Announcements Left Fans Frustrated
The court filing details how around 9:15 pm, nearly an hour after the printed start time, organizers announced Madonna would take the stage at 10:15 pm. But that projected timeline was not met either, leading to another delay announcement promising her set at 10:45 pm.
When 10:45 came and went without any sign of the pop star, the crowd reportedly became restless, with videos showing groups chanting “refund!” as they waited.
“Just before 11:00 p.m., the house lights went down and a DJ appeared on stage behaving as though the concert was about to begin, further misleading ticketholders into believing Madonna’s performance was imminent,” states the suit.
But the DJ only played for a few minutes before lights came back on and another delay was announced without a projected timeline. Hollander and Restaino argue this psychological impact of repeatedly getting fans’ hopes up added further insult.
Table showing announced vs actual start times from the concert:
| Announced Start Time | Actual Start Time | Delay |
|---|---|---|
| 8:30 pm (printed) | 11:08 pm | 2 hr 38 min |
| 9:15 pm | No Show | – |
| 10:15 pm | No Show | – |
| 10:45 pm | No Show | – |
Plaintiffs Seek Class Action Status
The two men filing the suit held tickets worth $327 and $254 each. But their lawsuit is seeking class action status to represent all impacted ticketholders from the December 13th concert, claiming Madonna and promoters “decided to prioritize their convenience over the rights of ticketholders.”
The suit does not list a specific amount of damages being sought but calls for repayment to all class members for the ticket prices, fees, transportation, parking, accommodation arrangements, and other compensation.
Holland and Restaino’s lawyer Richard Roth argues Madonna has demonstrated a pattern of starting shows extremely late on her tour. “We think going to a Madonna concert entitles people to get what they paid for,” he said. Live Nation has declined requests for comment on the pending litigation.
What Comes Next
Legal experts told Billboard Magazine that while delays to live events do not always equate breach of contract, the excessive lateness in Madonna’s case strengthens the argument. The suit will likely come down to whether the court views the start times as a material and contractual part of what fans are owed.
There is also the question of whether Madonna herself or just promoters can be liable when an artist is late to the stage. Her camp may try to place blame solely on Live Nation and venues, but her direct role in tardiness will impact that.
Madonna’s next scheduled Celebration Tour date is January 23rd in Las Vegas. Many fans online have expressed worry over further delays, with some even lightheartedly suggesting they may file their own suits if Madonna is excessively late again. It remains unclear if this court case or public frustration might persuade the pop legend to adjust her scheduling. But for now, her fans continue awaiting some satisfaction.
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