Pop icon Madonna is facing legal action from two fans over delays at her recent concerts in New York. The fans allege that the singer was more than two hours late for her performances, causing significant inconvenience.

The concerts were part of Madonna’s latest tour and were scheduled to start at 20:30 EST. However, according to court documents, the shows did not begin until after 22:30, ending around 01:00. This late finish caused issues for many attendees, particularly those with early work or family commitments the following day.

The fans, Michael Fellows and Jonathan Hadden, are suing promoter Live Nation and venue the Barclays Center for “false advertising, negligent misrepresentation, and unfair and deceptive trade practices”. They attended the show on Wednesday 13 December 2023, but the legal documents note that other nights at the same venue, on 14 and 16 December, also reportedly started more than two hours late.

This is not the first time Madonna has faced criticism for late concert start times. The court papers highlight that Madonna “has a long history of arriving and starting her concerts late, sometimes several hours late”. This includes her 2016 Rebel Heart Tour, her 2019-2020 Madame X Tour, and prior tours.

Despite these issues, Madonna’s concerts continue to draw large crowds. Her recent Celebration tour, which marked the 40th anniversary of her breakout single, Holiday, included more than 40 songs from her career.

The lawsuit against Madonna, Live Nation, and the Barclays Center highlights the importance of clear communication and respect for fans’ time. As the case progresses, it will be interesting to see what impact, if any, it has on future concert scheduling practices.