Fans Irate After Lionel Richie Cancels New York Show an Hour After Start Time

Music legend and American Idol judge Lionel Richie is currently on tour with Earth, Wind & Fire, but fans at New York City's Madison Square Garden walked away empty-handed after a late show cancelation on Saturday night (Aug. 12).

According to a local Fox News affiliate, approximately 20,000 fans waited an hour after showtime was set to start before officially getting word that Richie was canceling the show.

He tweeted out the news, explaining that inclement weather was preventing his plane from landing in New York City.

"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," Richie said, explaining that his show would be rescheduled to Monday (Aug. 14) and all tickets would be honored on that date.

"Can't wait to perform for you all."

But that explanation wasn't good enough for many fans, some of whom noted that the weather didn't seem to be a problem at the venue. Additionally, it wasn't clear what configuration of the Richie-Earth, Wind & Fire Tour would be able to play the rescheduled date, since Earth, Wind & Fire's tour calendar showed that they were scheduled to perform in Connecticut on Monday.

"I'm never going to another Lionel Richie concert ever," one enraged fan wrote on Twitter. "That prima donna canceled the show last nite at the Garden after we all sat there for an hour waiting like zombies."

"Can't believe this," another shared, posting a photo of the disappointed crowd following Richie's cancellation. "[Flew] from NC to NYC for the weekend. Hotel, airfare, Ubers, dinner ... this is a $4,000 'bummber' for me. Some of us can't make the Monday show and are now stuck. Bummed is shallow and pathetic."

As of Monday morning, Earth, Wind & Fire confirmed on their Instagram Stories that they'll play Madison Square Garden with Richie on Monday night, and that they've rescheduled the Connecticut date for later in the week.

In recent days, Richie's fellow Idol judge Luke Bryan has been facing some show cancelations of his own. Bryan canceled three shows last weekend due to illness, then returned to power through two shaky nights during the week before canceling an additional stop in Mississippi on Sunday night (Aug. 13).