Opening Up the Neighborhood: The High Line Festival

The opening of this space seems like a nod to the neighborhood’s soon-to-be-welcoming vibe—its 700-person capacity and slightly grotty look evoke the much more underground, down-at-heel places where up-and-coming bands used to play on the Lower East Side. And though the ticket prices for the festival aren’t cheap (most events cost upwards of $35 for general admission), even the financially strapped don’t seem to mind paying up a bit.

“It’s more expensive than the usual shows I go to,” said my perpetually broke friend Laura, who’s shelling out for the Secret Machines show. “But it’s okay. I kind of feel like I’m paying an entry fee to get into the neighborhood.”

Photo courtesy of Curbed