A disappointed Lady Gaga fan has been told they are not entitled to a refund after paying $300 (approximately £240) for seats that offered a severely obstructed view of the stage at the star's recent Brisbane concert.
The 'Gaslit' Fan's Complaint
The concertgoer took to Facebook to share Ticketmaster's official response after filing a formal complaint about their experience at Lady Gaga's 'The MAYHEM Ball' show at Suncorp Stadium last week. In an earlier post, they had already chronicled issues including a late start to the performance.
"For those that were following from the Lady Gaga concert view tea, well strap in, there's more," the fan wrote this week, accusing the ticket seller of having "gaslit" them.
The attendee shared a screenshot of the view from their seat, which clearly showed a large structure blocking the stage. Ticketmaster's reply, posted by the fan, became the centre of the controversy.
Ticketmaster's Defence
In its response, Ticketmaster stated it was "unaware" of any changes to the seating plan that caused the obstruction until the actual day of the show. The company apologised "on behalf of the event organiser" for any disappointment.
"Adjustments to the production setups are sometimes necessary, leading up to the event, which can impact sightlines unexpectedly," the email explained. "When you initially purchased your tickets, there were no indications of any sightline restrictions. Regretfully, this changed on the day of the show."
The ticketing giant then made a contentious claim: because the fan "chose to remain in your seats for the duration of the show," they were unable to offer a refund. Ticketmaster added that event staff were available to address issues, including relocating fans where possible, and stressed that refund decisions were ultimately controlled by the event organiser.
Public Outcry and Similar Experiences
The fan's post sparked immediate criticism in the comments section. One person responded, "All I read in that is 'it's your fault because you stayed in your seat', sorry what?!" Another asked, "What did they expect you to do? Take a look at the view from your seat then get up and storm out?"
The incident is not isolated. Another commenter shared an almost identical experience from the recent Taylor Swift Eras Tour, which, like Lady Gaga's Australian tour, is promoted by Live Nation. "This EXACT thing happened to me with Taylor Swift," they wrote. "Had a huge sound tower in front of me, and there was no mention of restricted view when I got my tickets. Couldn't move because the show was sold out."
A Ticketmaster spokesperson told the Daily Mail they could not comment further without documentation confirming the individual attended the show.
The case highlights ongoing tensions between major ticketing agencies and consumers over transparency and fairness when advertised concert experiences differ drastically from reality.
