Madonna told the plug will be pulled if she over-runs gig
Madonna was today warned she will be cut off just like Bruce Springsteen if she over-runs a strict curfew when she plays Hyde Park.
The singer, 53, is set to perform before 50,000 fans tomorrow night in her first appearance in England for four years. But she has been told not to over-run the 10.30pm curfew after the plug was pulled on Springsteen as he duetted with Paul McCartney in front of a sell-out 80,000-crowd on Saturday.
John Probyn, chief operating officer of Live Nation, said: 'It won’t happen again. We’ve had lengthy conversations with Madonna’s people. They contacted us. We’ve worked out with them what time she needs to go on stage to finish on time. That’s all in hand.'
Asked whether the plug would be pulled on Madonna if she were to run over, Mr Probyn said: 'Yes. We’d have no choice. We are effectively breaking the law if we carry on. There’s not a lot we can do. She will finish on time.'
Westminster council today revealed it received one complaint about the noise from Springsteen’s gig on Saturday night, with a second yesterday.
The council, which has cut the maximum number of concerts in Hyde Park from 13 to nine from next year, said Springsteen had not breached its 75 decibel maximum. Last night Paul Simon also stayed within the sound limit, though many concert goers complained the music was not loud enough - a complaint of many who attended the Springsteen gig.
Police concerns about the need to evacuate the crowd via Hyde Park Corner were behind the decision to cut the sound before 10.40pm as Springsteen and McCartney sang Twist and Shout.
Springsteen said 'I’ve waited for this moment for 50 years' as he introduced the ex-Beatle to the crowd. Guitarist Steve Van Zandt tweeted afterwards: 'Is there just too much fun in the world? We would have been off by 11 if we’d done one more. On a Saturday night! Who were we disturbing?'
A Westminster spokeswoman said: 'These time limits are a compromise between the interests of the organisers on one hand and local residents on the other, and are put in place for a reason - to get people out safely and to minimise disruption for residents.'
Mark Field, Conservative MP for Cities of London and Westminster, said: 'It’s a matter of getting the right balance. There have been a number of occasions where these concerts have over-run and I think it’s right that the organisers decided to put their foot down and pull the plug.'
