Highline Ballroom

B.o.B.

Highline Ballroom closed on February 8th, 2019. New venue Racket opened in the same space on January 7th, 2022.

Highline Ballroom is located on 431 West 16th Street, Manhattan, between Ninth and Tenth Avenue. It opened on April 30th, 2007, with Lou Reed and Okkervil River. Less than two weeks later, it was featured prominently in the first (and only) annual ‘High Line Festival’, a collection of concerts in Manhattan to raise money for turning the nearby abandoned elevated rail, the ‘High Line’, into an extended city park.

Placed deep into Chelsea, just west of such established venues as Webster Hall and Irving Plaza, Highline Ballroom is somewhat smaller, but makes up for that in class – style-wise, it’s more equivalent to Hiro Ballroom, just a block east on 16th Street (though the actual stage is still up a flight of stairs, like Webster and Fillmore, unlike down a flight Hiro). There are seated sections on both sides, plus another upstairs in the rather large balcony section. Sometimes, tables are laid out across the stage floor, making an entirely seated concert. Bars are located at the back-left and back-right of the stage floor, as well as on the balcony.

The venue displays an almost schizophrenic taste in acts, varying from solo singer/songwriters like Reed and Daniel Johnston to mainstream emo and punk-rock acts like Sick Of It All and Dashboard Confessionals, as well as indie-rock acts like stellastarr*, electronic shows like Hot Chip, hip-hop performers like Yo Majesty, soul groups like Budos Band, and jam bands like Tea Leaf Green, as well as sometimes playing host to after-parties. The house-electronic spinning duo of Bob Mould and Richard Morel, Blowoff, performs there regularly, and the Hüsker Dü/Sugar indie-punk musician Mould has also played Highline solo (and was followed by a Tea Leaf Green after-party). In many ways, the venue’s line-up more resembles Brooklyn’s late nightclub/venue Studio B, than any of the Union Square-area alternative music venues. The ‘high-class’ nature of Highline gives it a more varied, but more expensive, bar selection, somewhat pushier security than other venues its size, and a top-notch sound and light system (though they can overdo it on the light show, sometimes).

Capacity: 700

Address:

431 West 16th Street (Between Ninth and Tenth Avenue)

By Subway:

A, C, E & L trains to 14th St. – walk 1 & 1/2 blocks west on North side of 16th street
1, 2 & 3 trains to 14th St. – walk 2 blocks south on 7th Avenue, walk 2 & 1/2 blocks west on North side of 16th street
F & M trains to 6th Ave./14th St. – walk 3 blocks west on North side of 16th street
4, 5, 6, L, N, Q, R & M trains to Union Square – walk 5 blocks west on North side of 16th street

QRO Coverage:

-Coeur de Pirate, March 18th, 2016 – photos

-Holy Holy (including Tony Visconti and Woody Woodmansey), January 19th, 2016 (playing David Bowie’s The Man Who Sold the World) – live review, photos

-Hollie Cook, January 6th, 2015 – photos

-Cracker, with Camper Van Beethoven, January 19th, 2013 – live review, Cracker photos, Camper Van Beethoven photos

-Au Revoir Simone, with Lou Doillon, October 16th, 2013 (CMJ) – CMJ coverage, Au Revoir Simone photos, Lou Doillon photos

-Converge, with Torche, Kvelertak, and Whips/Chains, November 11th, 2012 – Converge photos, Torche photos, Kvelertak photos, Whips/Chains photos

-Three Days Grace, October 21st, 2012 – photos

-The Zombies, August 6th, 2012 – photos

-B.o.B., July 22nd, 2012 (MySpace Secret Show) – photos

-Cracker, with Camper Van Beethoven, January 14th, 2012 – Cracker photos, Camper Van Beethoven photos

-Dredg, with The Dear Hunter, Balance and Composure, and The Tropy Fire, May 19th, 2011 – Dredg photos, The Dear Hunter photos, Balance and Composure photos, The Tropy Fire photos

-Cold War Kids, with We Barbarians and Beast Make Bomb, May 5th, 2011 – Cold War Kids photos, We Barbarians photos, Beast Make Bomb photos

-Pinback, with Judgement Day, April 29th, 2011 – Pinback photos, Judgement Day photos

-The Appleseed Cast, with A Great Pile of Leaves and Two Lights, April 28th, 2011 – The Appleseed Cast photos, A Great Pile of Leaves photos, Two Lights photos

-Cracker, playing Kerosene Hat, & Camper Van Beethoven, playing Key Lime Pie, January 14th, 2011 – live review, Cracker photos, Camper Van Beethoven photos

-The Birthday Massacre, September 10th, 2010 – photos

-FischerSpooner, August 12, 2010 – photos

-Little Boots, with Class Actress & Body Language, March 2nd, 2010 – Little Boots photos, Class Actress photos, Body Language photos

-Hot Chip, February 5th, 2010 (MySpace Music Secret Show) – photos

-of Montreal, with special guest Susan Surandon, January 26th, 2010 – photos

-Cracker & Camper Van Beethoven, January 15th, 2010 – live review, Cracker photos, Camper Van Beethoven photos

-Bell X1, with Wild Light & David Hopkins, October 9th, 2009 – Bell X1 photos, Wild Light photos, David Hopkins photos

-stellastarr*, with Wild Light, July 16th, 2009 – stellastarr* photos, Wild Light photos

-Cracker, June 25th, 2009 – photos

-Lady Sovereign, May 5th, 2009 – photos

-Simian Mobile Disco, April 23rd, 2009 – photos

-Bell X1, March 14th, 2009 – live review, photos