Locals line up for Paisley tickets as protest planned

GUSTAVUS — Despite drenching downpours, hundreds of people waited for hours Saturday at the site of Gustavus’ former elementary school for Brad Paisley concert tickets.

Country superstar Paisley will perform Wednesday morning at the Hayes Road farm of Henry and Linda Lipps. The concert will be part of a 7 to 9 a.m. live broadcast of ABC’s “Good Morning America.”

GMA is stopping in rural Gustavus as part of its whistle-stop “50 States in 50 Days Tour.”

Jones said the Lipps’ Hayes Road farm is a bustling scene of activity as preparations are made for Wednesday’s broadcast.

A concert stage is being erected on the farm, and people who received concert tickets today were instructed to arrive at 4:30 a.m.

A GMA spokeswoman said details about the concert or the broadcast would not be disclosed. But it has leaked out, that an interview with Republican presidential nominee John McCain will be a part of Wednesday morning’s programming, something not all Mahoning Valley residents are pleased about.

Local members of the AFL-CIO and allied progressive groups are opposing the McCain-Palin visit to the area and plan to “call out the Republican nominees on the hypocrisy of their rhetoric” during a preemptive press conference at 11 a.m. Monday at AFSCME Ohio Council 8 Hall in Austintown.

They are also organizing a protest for the McCain-Palin “visit at 4 p.m. Tuesday at the Youngstown-Warren Airport.

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