Topline
A fan sued Madonna for a late start to her March 7 Los Angeles concert, uncomfortably hot temperatures in the venue and for exposing concertgoers to “pornography without warning”—the third lawsuit the singer has faced on her Celebration Tour for starting the show hours after the scheduled time.
Madonna has been sued by fans three times for late starts to her Celebration Tour shows. (Photo by … [+] Kevin Mazur/WireImage for Live Nation)
WireImage for Live Nation
Key Facts
Plaintiff Justen Lipeles filed a lawsuit this week against Madonna and Live Nation in Los Angeles, alleging that the singer took the stage at 10 p.m. for her March 7 concert, an hour and a half after the scheduled start time according to the tickets he purchased.
Lipeles also said the venue was uncomfortably hot and alleged Madonna had “refused to allow the air conditioning to be turned on,” causing the heat to make him feel “physically ill.”
The plaintiff said watching the concert felt like “watching a pornographic film being made,” stating Madonna subjected concertgoers to “pornography without warning” because her show featured “topless women on stage simulating sex acts.”
Lipeles, who reportedly bought four tickets at $500 each, is suing for breach of contract, negligent misrepresentation, unfair competition, false advertising and emotional distress, seeking compensatory damages and a refund for his tickets.
Key Background
Madonna has previously faced two similar lawsuits alleging a late start to her Celebration Tour shows. In January, concertgoers Michael Fellows and Jonathan Hadden sued the singer for taking the stage at her December show in Brooklyn more than two hours after the 8:30 p.m. scheduled start time. The plaintiffs accused the singer, Barclays Center and Live Nation of “false advertising, negligent misrepresentation, and unfair and deceptive trade practices,” stating the late finish meant public transportation options were limited and could interfere with fans’ ability to “get up early to go to work.” Madonna and Live Nation said the Dec. 13 show in Brooklyn was impacted by a technical difficulty, vowing to “vigorously” fight the case. Plaintiffs Elizabeth Halper-Asefi, Mary Conoboy, and Nestor Monte, Jr sued Madonna and Live Nation last month, alleging she took the stage after 10:30 p.m. for her Washington, D.C. shows in December, more than two hours after the scheduled start time. They also accused her of lip syncing and maintaining a “hot and uncomfortable temperature” in the venue. The suit alleges Madonna told the crowd at the Dec. 18 Washington, D.C. show: “I am sorry I am late… no, I am not sorry, it’s who I am… I’m always late.” In 2019, plaintiff Nate Hollander sued Madonna for a late start to a Miami concert, though he voluntarily dismissed the suit a month later.
Crucial Quote
“No reasonable concertgoer — and certainly no Madonna fan — would expect the headline act at a major arena concert to take the stage at the ticketed event time,” Madonna’s team said in a motion filed in April to dismiss the January lawsuit, adding that “nowhere” on the ticket did it say Madonna would take the stage at 8:30 p.m.
Tangent
Billboard Boxscore named Madonna the third highest-grossing artist in its midyear touring report, based on data reported to Billboard for shows performed between Oct. 1, 2023 and March 31. She grossed an estimated $190 million based on 67 shows, placing her just behind U2, who grossed $231 million, and Pink, who grossed $196 million. The ranking notably does not include Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, because Swift did not report touring data to Billboard.
Surprising Fact
Madonna concluded the Celebration Tour on May 4 with a free concert in Rio de Janeiro, attracting an estimated 1.6 million attendees in what Live Nation said was the “largest ever standalone concert for any artist,” surpassing the Rolling Stones’ 2006 performance in Brazil that also drew more than 1 million fans.
Further Reading
Madonna sued for ‘pornography without warning’ at LA concert performance (The Guardian)
Madonna Hits Back at Concert Delay Lawsuit, Says Fans Can’t Sue Over Needing to ‘Wake Up Early’ (Billboard)
Top Concert Tours Grossed ‘Unprecedented’ $1.5 Billion Between October And March—And That Doesn’t Even Include Eras Tour (Forbes)
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