Tunnel, the alternative Gomila myth that united generations

PalmFor decades, Tunnel was the epicenter of Palma's alternative scene. It opened on May 14, 1994, in a basement in Gomila, and its speakers played ACDC, Metallica, Guns N' Roses, System of Down, Prodigy, Nirvana, and Red Hot Chili Peppers, among others. Its founder, Toni Fuentes, along with his partner Ivor Meléndrez, explains the venue's concept: "While other bars like Fraguel Rock, with heavy metal, and Nagual, with punk rock, became a little more radical, we, within the alternative scene, adapted quite a bit." Over the years, Tunnel opened up to other styles like dubstep and K-pop, attracting new generations of young people fed up with radio formulas.

"31 years spans several generations, and we even had the children of our first customers as clients," explains Toni at the ARA Baleares. He says that when they landed in Gomila, there were about 100 venues. But soon after their arrival, other nightlife areas, such as the Lonja and the Marítimo, began to gain popularity, and they began attracting more people.

Toni fondly recalls the first years of reopening in a larger venue. The original Tunnel, which had a capacity for about 100 people, used to hold up to 160. "It was always packed, and we couldn't hold concerts," he explains. Ten years after their start on the ground floor of Gomila Street, they moved to the center of the square, to a much larger venue with a capacity for 400 people. "In this new era, the Tunnel"—people often referred to it with an article—"was never fashionable, but it was a meeting place you absolutely had to go to," he recalls. "Actors and other celebrities started showing up, like Fran Perea, Angie, Azuquita, Kase.O, Sho-Hai... they even used the Tunnel as a set for filming TV series."

Over the years, the area's decline increased. Bars closed, the clientele aged, and the Tunnel became increasingly isolated. "People weren't talking about going to Gomila anymore, they were talking about going out to Tunnel," he explains. The pandemic was the final straw. They weren't allowed to set up a terrace, and when the measures were relaxed, the situation was surreal. "Customers had to wear masks, a distance of one person per three square meters had to be respected, and they couldn't go to the bar," he recalls. It wasn't profitable, and the expenses, which they froze during COVID, ended up being paid all at once. "For example, after two years of closure, they charged us €1,800 for the garbage fee," he laments.

Toni and Ivor's intention was to close after 25 years, but after the pandemic, people rallied around them, and they raised €13,000 in a crowdfunding campaign. "Thanks to our customers, we turned 31," he says. "We did different things, crazy parties... everything was super idyllic, but I didn't see myself pouring drinks all my life," says Toni. Neither the area nor the nightlife were such a good fit anymore. "Now people go to festivals to show off, people chat online, and it's become fashionable to go out in the afternoon, 'horabauxa,' instead of at dusk," he says. The closure of the Paseo Marítim for construction also affected them. "We lived off the people who came early and late on the Paseo Marítimo," he explains.

Despite its closure, the memory of the Tunnel lives on among several generations. "The other day I was walking through a shopping mall with my mother, and a small group of goths from that era started shouting, 'Toni Tunnel! Toni Tunnel!'" he recalls with a laugh. "We created a space where metalheads, rockers, goths, and punks could coexist... They knew that when they came to Tunnel, they would have fun without any hard feelings or conflict," he concludes.

The bar responds

What music used to play?

— Within alternative rock, especially American, there were metal, punk, grunge... but also Spanish rock.

What drink was most requested by customers?

— It was a very chic bar, but the Jägger Boom, created by Xavi Llinàs, stood out, featuring an energy drink and a decalet of Jägermeister. From selling almost nothing, we moved on to selling 15 liter bottles of Jägger in one weekend. They also had a curious drinks menu:

• 'Brainiac': Baileys, peach liqueur and grenadine (it looked like a clot).
• 'I'm looking for Jacks': coconut milkshake, Baileys, and chocolate mousse.
• 'Black Cock': black vodka and banana.

What would you say was the brand of the bar?

— The vibe was good. Everything was very friendly, very natural, people didn't mark their territory. Once we called the police because we caught four pickpockets and they were very surprised: "What do you mean, in the Tunnel?" they asked us, very surprised because they couldn't believe we had moved here. When they arrived, they told us that those four had cleaned the Maritime.

Any anecdote that makes you laugh when you remember it?

At the small Tunnel, a huge line formed at the bathroom, and after many calls, I had to open the door because no one answered. Before doing so, I looked under it and saw ten pairs of feet. When I opened it, I found a very handsome young man, Bon Jovi-style, with his pants down, sitting on the toilet, with four girls performing oral sex on him. Heads started popping up behind me to see what was happening. The bar erupted in applause, and the young man said to me, "You ruined my lifelong dream." I'm still kissing him.