Fans of Lionel Richie were less than understanding when the legendary singer suddenly canceled a sold-out show at New York City’s Madison Square Garden an hour after it was scheduled to begin.
The venue was already packed on Saturday night as over 20,000 people were eagerly anticipating seeing the legendary singer and Earth Wind & Fire perform their decades worth of hit songs when they received the disappointing news that the performance would not be taking place and had been rescheduled for Monday.
The 74-year-old blamed adverse weather conditions for the postponement of the show, taking to Twitter/X at 8:31 p.m., the concert had been set to start at 7:30 p.m.
“Due to severe weather and being unable to land in the NY and surrounding areas, I’m unable to make it to the show tonight. I’m so bummed. We are rescheduling the show to Monday Aug 14. Can’t wait to perform for you all. Tickets for tonight’s show are valid for the show on Monday,” Richie tweeted.
Due to severe weather and being unable to land in the NY and surrounding areas, I’m unable to make it to the show tonight. I’m so bummed. We are rescheduling the show to Monday Aug 14. Can’t wait to perform for you all. Tickets for tonight’s show are valid for the show on Monday.
— Lionel Richie (@LionelRichie) August 13, 2023
The mood inside MSG turned predictably ugly after the bad news was announced, leaving people who had paid good money for tickets to see the “All Night Long” singer perform live, with some having also paid for travel and hotel arrangements only to be stood up, leaving fans angry and skeptical of the excuse.
“There was a lot of anger,” one concertgoer, a pediatric nurse who shelled out $170 for seats in the “nosebleed” section told the New York Post.
“We went out of the way to get the weekend off and now I can’t go on Monday,” she said, telling the outlet that she came in from Long Island with her husband and coworker. “Does he think it’s easy for me to take off Monday night? This is New York. We work.”
When asked if she had a message for Richie, the nurse told the Post, “Hope you’re OK but you should have taken a limo for your fans for four hours. He’s loaded … take a f–king limo,” referring to the time it would take to drive from Boston where he had performed on Friday.
Other disappointed Richie fans took to Twitter/X to respond to his announcement of the postponement.
Thank you so much for announcing this an hour after the show was supposed to start
— Jack (@howdy_imjack) August 13, 2023
Press team lies. What actually happened? Nobody flies in late and blames weather. Weather was A OK. We are a group of 12 and so disappointed but not as disappointed as the tourists and fans who made plans around the gig and wil now miss it. What’s the real, substantial and…
— Ed Brooks (@EddieAbroad) August 13, 2023
We bought our parents good seats for a lot of money for their 50th wedding anniversary. They’re 75 and were really looking forward to tonight’s show. Thanks for ruining the gift we got for them.
— (Not That) Joe Walsh (@realjwalsh) August 13, 2023
You had us sit in the Garden for an hour when you knew in advance you wouldn’t make it. Refund the tickets…forget the double parking, car service and travel costs to attend on Monday and we will call it even!
— Susan Hood (@SusanBHood) August 13, 2023
Flew into NYC with my mother for her 75th birthday, she want to see you for the occasion. Monday Aug 14 won’t work for us as we fly home. So no concert on the milestone birthday. Quite dsappointed in this.
— Thomas K23 (@magiccryptoball) August 13, 2023
I CALL BULLSH!T!
YOU PLAYED IN BOSTON LAST NIGHT. 1.5 Hours by Air to NYC, 4 Hours by bus.
THERE WERE NO CANCELLATIONS EARLIER TODAY, YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN NYC BY 2 PM THE LATEST.
THANKS FOR WASTING OUR TIME & MONEY FOR YOUR NO-SHOW! https://t.co/MAn3qrmalB— Mike Levy (@MikeLevy25) August 13, 2023
Was so bummed to have sat there for 2 hours then be told that the show was postponed. Couldn’t we have been warmed sooner? @LionelRichie had to pay for parking, food, merch, to have this happen.
— Aneida (@a_vaz80) August 13, 2023
Drove from Ohio to see the show and can’t stay until Monday
— RichWanders (@nd77rich) August 13, 2023
My 79 year old parents are not shlepping back on Monday! Refund!!
— bittinho (@bittinho) August 13, 2023
Earth Wind & Fire had been scheduled to play in Hartford without Richie on Monday and announced that the show had been rescheduled to Wednesday.
“Due to unforeseen circumstances, the Earth, Wind & Fire concert scheduled for Monday, August 14th at Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater in Bridgeport has been rescheduled to Wednesday, August 16th. All tickets purchased for original date will be honored,” the band announced on social media, indicating that they will be appearing with Richie at the rescheduled MSG show on Monday.
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