Lionel Richie enrages fans, cancels concert one hour after show’s start-time

Lionel Richie left thousands of fans outraged over the weekend after posting a shock tweet, one hour after his concert was scheduled to begin.

Lionel Richie outraged fans by tweeting that his concert was cancelled, one hour after its scheduled start time. Picture: Supplied/Twitter

Apparently, water is greater than earth, wind and fire for Lionel Richie.

Lionel Richie and Earth Wind & Fire cancelled their sold-out Madison Square Garden show Saturday — an hour after it was set to begin — when the singer said he was unable to fly into the Big Apple due to poor weather conditions, reports the New York Post.

The 20,000 fans in attendance, some of whom spent hundreds on tickets and hotel rooms, blasted the iconic singer for keeping them waiting “all night long.”

“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,” the Endless Love singer tweeted at 8:31 p.m. The show was scheduled to start at 7:30pm.

“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.”

Video from inside the packed arena shows dejected fans booing and taking to the aisles as a spokesman announced that the show had been cancelled.

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

Yes. After so many years of touring, this makes no sense!

— Jessica M (@jsrbbb) August 13, 2023

Footage also showed fans discussing whether or not they’d be able to return to Manhattan on Monday.

Earth Wind and Fire is scheduled to play a show at the Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater in Bridgeport, Connecticut, without Richie on Monday.

It’s not clear if they would be performing at the Garden or there that night.

“There was a lot of anger,” a pediatric nurse who paid US$170 (A$260) for nosebleed seats told The Post.

“We went out of the way to get the weekend off and now I can’t go on Monday,” said the nurse, who came in from Long Island with her husband and co-worker. “Does he think it’s easy for me to take off Monday night? This is New York. We work.”

Asked what she’d say to the Hello singer after the snafu, she said, “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.”

A married couple who frequents Madison Square Garden for concerts told The Post they started to realise something was up when the show still hadn’t started 45 minutes after it was set to begin.

“You can’t sell out Madison Square Garden and [cancel due to] a weather issue. I’m frustrated and I’m concerned — I think it might be something else. I’m worried that it’s something else and that [the weather] was an excuse,” the woman said.

“As far as I know, it was bad weather. I wouldn’t fly in bad weather either,” a security guard outside MSG said.

“S**t happens in life,” he said of the throng of angry fans.

Richie cancelled his concert on Saturday night. Picture: Adam Bettcher/Getty Images

Fans took to social media to express their outrage at the Commodore’s frontman after he announced the cancellation, with many saying they spent good money on tickets, travel and hotels for the concert.

“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,” one Twitter user wrote.

“After spending $1000 on two VIP tickets on a weekend, I am hoping we get a refund. Monday is not an option. We also spent $500 on a hotel and also spent several hundred dollars on food in the area,” Julie Treska tweeted. “What a huge bummer for my birthday!!! Ugh.”

Many fans questioned why Richie couldn’t have gotten to New York another way from Boston, where he played a show with Earth Wind and Fire on Friday night.

“Sounds like bad planning on your part @LionelRichie, trying to fly in at the last minute. I’ll take a refund please – no thanks to Monday!” another tweeted.

“No respect for your fans! You are no Taylor Swift. Do better. You could have driven from Boston,” Gail DeLuca said.

“Waiting all night long,” another snarked, a reference to Richie’s 1983 hit.

This article originally appeared in the New York Post and was reproduced with permission.

Originally published as Lionel Richie enrages fans, cancels concert one hour after show’s start-time