File photo: Madonna concert in Brooklyn
Madonna returned to the stage in New York City Monday night, days after two fans filed a federal lawsuit claiming her two-hour lateness at a Barclays Center concert last month constitutes a breach of contract.
The Material Girl will make a second appearance at Madison Square Garden Tuesday. It wasn't clear exactly what time she got on stage the prior evening, but she did lead the audience in a resounding rendition of "Happy Birthday" for her daughter, Mercy, who turned 18.
The two fans suing her -- Michael Fellows and Jonathan Hadden -- say she didn't take the stage in Brooklyn until after 10:45 p.m. for her Dec. 13 show, though the tickets for her "Celebration" tour show indicated the performance started at 8:30 p.m. It was a Wednesday, and Fellows and Hadden were angry because they had to get up early the next day.
The men claim that by the time they left the venue at 1 a.m., they were "stranded" due to limited public transportation options and had to pay more to order a ride-share, which was also experiencing surge pricing due to demand.
Fellows and Hadden are suing Madonna and Live Nation for "unconscionable, unfair, and/or deceptive trade practices." Barclays Center is also listed as a defendant.
The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in Brooklyn federal court, seeks class-action status, alleging the 65-year-old popstar has a "years-long history" of starting concerts late, including at other "Celebration" tour stops.
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Representatives for Madonna and Live Nation did not immediately respond to requests for comment from NBC New York. Multiple outlets reported her reps blamed "sound check issues" for her lateness last month.
