Madonna’s very late start to her first North American stop on the “Celebration” tour Wednesday night left some fans “burning up” with anger.
The sold-out concert at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center attracted 14,000 fans of the 65-year-old Queen of Pop. While the venue doors opened around 7:30 p.m., Madonna didn’t hit the stage until nearly 11 p.m. And that didn’t go over so well for some who lamented her tardiness on social media.
“10.30 pm no Madonna in BK and people are leaving & booing #MadonnaCelebrationTour,” a concertgoer shared on X in real time on Wednesday.
10.30 pm no Madonna in BK and people are leaving & booing #MadonnaCelebrationTour
— Like a Girl (@girlpower2024) December 14, 2023
Another said: “I wouldn’t call Madonna’s lateness, an ‘aversion to punctuality,’ it’s a middle finger to fans that have to work Thursday morning after a concert ending at 1:05am. #MadonnaCelebrationTour”
“Disappointing Concert Experience #MadonnaCelebrationTour was the worst concert I’ve ever attended,” an X user wrote Thursday. “Despite being scheduled to start at 8:30 pm, she didn’t take the stage until 11:00 pm. Many people had to leave early to catch the last subway ride at 12:30 am.”
According to a People magazine source, Madonna was “sound-checking until the moment” doors opened to work out technical issues. The source also said the production was technically only delayed by an hour.
The outlet added that, later in the concert, she “appeared to struggle with sound issues while speaking onstage, telling fans she heard an ‘echo’ in her ear.”
Promoter Live Nation described the show as a “fearless, thought-provoking performance” in a press release obtained by The News on Thursday.
“In a rare reflection that honors her unmatched legacy and exceptional artistry, Madonna took the audience on an unforgettable autobiographical journey through some of her biggest hits over the last forty years, including songs she has not performed on stage in decades,” the company said of the Dec. 13 tour stop.
The North American leg of the “Celebration” was originally slated to start in July but was delayed after the seven-time Grammy winner fell ill with a “serious bacterial infection.”
TMZ later reported that the “Like A Virgin” singer had collapsed after ignoring symptoms during rehearsals for the show.
The tour, with two performances set for Madison Square Garden in late January, is scheduled to run through late April.
