Photo: WENN.com
Gigs starting late are not a rare occurance. Most of us will have spent an hour or so propping up the bar while waiting for an overdue band to take to the stage. To be honest, it goes with the territory.
But there's a distinct difference between a rock band boozily showing up late for an increasingly drunk audience and a teen pop sensation leaving infant fans in tears as they are forced to leave by concerned parents.
Last night saw Bieber arrive on stage at London's O2 Arena two hours later than the advertised show time of 8.30pm.
Given that the last tubes from Greenwich North are around midnight, many concerned parents treating their kids to a rare school night out understandably took their children home before the pop star reached the stage.
The fact that gigs run late is something that happens, and most of us are well aware of it. But were we aware of it when we were six and desperate to see our musical idol?
Perhaps Bieber needs to remind himself of his demographic. Those desperate to see Bieber are not the same people who will happily fill the bar while they wait for the band to start. They're the people who show up at the time the doors are supposed to open and expect the music to start when the ticket says it will.
Wayne Pasonage, from Hampshire, describes his daughter's disappointment.
Clearly Bieber's not the fresh-faced 16-year-old schoolgirl idol he was when he released his first album, and his recent late nights and partying suggest he is eager for his image to shift from innocent teen to fun-loving young adult.
But that doesn't mean his fanbase is ready to shift with him. Bieber must be aware that a large portion of the audience packing the O2 last night were pre-teens accompanied by their parents; people with nothing to keep them entertained while they wait - and no explanation as to why the show was running so late. He must know he has a responsibility to them.
The relationship between fans and stars is often a difficult one. The former expect so much of the latter, and the stars' ability to fulfil those expectations often falls inevitably short. But when you're six and all you expect is to see Justin Bieber perform his songs and do that thing where he gets lowered in on a harness with wings, being let down must sting that much more. It's not like you're hoping Radiohead play 'Creep'.
Axl Rose getting drunk on stage and inciting a riot - annoying, possibly scary, but ultimately a good story (and 'I was there!' sort of thing). But Bieber turning up late and leaving you crying on a tube after a wasted night because you've got school tomorrow and need your eight hours - that's not really on.
