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Lionel Richie has received backlash after abruptly cancelling a much awaited sold-out concert at Madison Square Garden in New York City on August 12.
The concert was scheduled to feature Richie performing with Earth, Wind & Fire. However, the singer cancelled the event an hour after he was supposed to start his performance, leaving fans disappointed and questioning the reason behind the artist's last minute schedule changes.
Lionel Richie stated that the reason for his cancellation was due to severe weather conditions that prohibited the artist from reaching the venue. Fans were especially furious at the venue for informing the crowd late, with the announcement coming after the event's starting time.
Richie postponed the concert to August 14. During his performance two days after the originally scheduled date, the artist apologised to his fans numerous times for the inconvenience faced by them because of the last minute changes.
Lionel Richie explained the course of events that led to his cancellation during the concert. The artist explained his pilot's decision not to take off and humorously added that he tried to bribe the pilot so that the show would take place as originally planned. He said:
"I tried to bribe the pilot.”
Lionel Richie apologises after facing criticism for cancelling Madison Square Garden concert
Lionel Riche stated that he chose safety over all else when he decided to turn the plane around and postpone the concert.
Lionel Richie also took to Twitter to discuss the cancellation with his fans. He stated that "severe weather and being unable to land in the NY and surrounding areas" were the reasons that he wasn't able to show up for last weekend's performance. He also shared that the original tickets will be valid for the rescheduled date as well.
Fans also wrote on social media about their thoughts on the singer's explanation which eventually led to backlash for the singer's reason and not showing up on time. Several fans expressed their doubt on the singer's excuse of weather issues, as the weather appeared clear that day according to fans.
Fans also shared their disappointment for the lack of a soundcheck before the concert. It ultimately became a heated topic as fans shared the inconvenience that they had to face to be there at the concert. Many fans even asked for a refund of their tickets. Here is how some fans reacted on social media:
Lionel Richie has not given any further explanation over the issue.
