Would you pay $3,000 for this view? Madonna fan furious over giant camera boom placed directly in front of his 'Platinum seats' at singer's Sydney concert

By Jennifer Smith For Daily Mail Australia

Published: 18:34 EST, 30 March 2016 | Updated: 06:06 EST, 31 March 2016

A Madonna fan was left furious after spending thousands on 'platinum' seats at her Sydney show to be sat behind an enormous camera boom recording the performance.  

Mike Merendan spent more than $3,000 on six tickets for the singer's final show at Sydney's All Phones Arena on March 20 and flew in from Perth for the concert.

He was outraged when he and his friends arrived at their seats, which cost $510 each, to find themselves sat behind the swinging camera arm.

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Not happy: A Madonna fan was furious after paying more than $3,000 for 'Platinum' seats at her

Not happy: A Madonna fan was furious after paying more than $3,000 for 'Platinum' seats at her

As a result Mr Merendan, a building and planning compliance officer, said he was left worried that the camera would hit a member of the party throughout the show. 

He had flown in with his partner from Perth to attend the show with four friends, making a weekend out of the event.  

Their night was ruined, he said, by the obstruction at the concert. 

'We ended up with the boom across our vision for the entire show. You had to crane to see the stage, it was huge and it kept swinging back and forward,' he said. 

Mr Merendan later contacted tour organiser Live Nation to ask to be refunded the difference in price between his tickets and those with a restricted view but was turned down, with a staff member telling him it was unable to process refunds after a show. 

See Madonna updates as a fan is furious at giant camera boom in front of him at concert

Disappointed: Mr Merendan complained that after forking out $500 a seat, his view was obstructed by the 'unpleasant' camera 

Disappointed: Mr Merendan complained that after forking out $500 a seat, his view was obstructed by the 'unpleasant' camera 

Sell out: The fan contacted tour organiser Live Nation and asked for them to refund him the difference in price between his tickets and those in standard seats but says he was refused 

Sell out: The fan contacted tour organiser Live Nation and asked for them to refund him the difference in price between his tickets and those in standard seats but says he was refused 

'Due to the nature of live performance, occasionally there are unforeseen, last minute changes in the show that effect the seating and sightlines.

'In this situation venue staff are able to move patrons to equivalent seating elsewhere in the venue and resolve this issue on the night. 

'We are unable to provide refunds after the show has ended,' he was told in an email. 

Dismissing the idea that the party could have been moved, Mr Merendan said on Thursday: 'There were six of us, there was no way they could have given us new seats, it was sold out. 

'But why should we have had to move? We bought platinum seats.' 

In demand: Last year fans complained that they were unable to buy tickets at reasonable prices 

In demand: Last year fans complained that they were unable to buy tickets at reasonable prices 

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Live Nation and representatives for the star. It's not clear whether the camera was placed in the crowd at her request or at that of the tour organiser. 

Tickets for the 57-year-old's six Australian shows sold out within hours of going on sale last year. 

For months the only available seats those in expensive VIP packages,  

Fans complained last year at being unable to get their hands on seats for the songstress's Rebel Heart Tour 

Most $99 tickets for dates in Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney sold out within hours of tickets going on sale, with the only seats available afterwards expensive VIP packages.

Two of her shows were moved to earlier dates while other fans complained that the singer showed up three hours late to other performances.  

VIP: Packages for the singer's tour dates included a $3,000 'runway' seat which provided close proximity to the stage (above) 

VIP: Packages for the singer's tour dates included a $3,000 'runway' seat which provided close proximity to the stage (above) 

 

 

 

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