Tunnel, Limelight, Roxy: Photographs by Steve Eichner

Caged Inside the Tunnel, New York, 1993

Image Credit: Steve Eichner/© Prestel Verlag

Photographer Steve Eichner explains: “I never knew what to expect when I walked into a club on any given night in the 1990s. Creativity ran rampant in all the clubs, and art installations were a big part of keeping things fresh and exciting. The Tunnel was especially notorious for creating outrageous and ever-changing stage sets inside its enormous, former railway tunnel-building. On this night in 1993, the club transformed into an insane asylum, with people wearing straight jackets in cages and club kids dressed as doctors and nurses roaming around handing out prescriptions. It indeed made for a crazy party.”

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Scott Weiland & Eric Kretz of Stone Temple Pilots Pilots at Club USA, 1993

Image Credit: Steve Eichner/© Prestel Verlag

“The VIP balcony at Club USA was known as an anything-goes zone. I was up there one night in 1993 when a publicist for the club introduced me to Scott Weiland, lead singer for Stone Temple Pilots, one of the hottest bands of that time. I was blown away because I loved their music! I had my camera, of course, and I asked him to get a shot or two. He lit up a cigarette (yes, you could smoke in clubs back then), flashed me the rock & roll devil fingers, and then totally unexpectedly grabbed the drummer Eric Kretz and — at first — they both stuck their tongues out and touched them together in like an air French kiss or some sort of tongue sword fight. Then Scott put his arm around Eric and shoved his tongue deep into Eric’s mouth, and they sucked face (made out) for like five minutes. Great visual for sure.”

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Salt-N-Pepa video shoot for ‘Shoop’ at Club USA, New York, 1993

Image Credit: Steve Eichner/© Prestel Verlag

“In those years, I was on call 24/7 to get the shot. My beeper went off early in the morning, around 8 a.m. I called the number knowing that the Club USA’s publicist would answer. ‘I need you to get here ASAP, there’s a hip-hop group shooting a music video here, and we need photos for the newspapers.’ I grabbed my camera, got in a taxi, and when I arrived, three gorgeous ladies were on stage in skin-tight denim short shorts. It was Salt-N-Pepa shooting the video for their smash hit ‘Shoop.’ It was a hot, sexy scene, and then I heard the song’s lyrics, ‘Girls, what’s my weakness? (Men!)’ Between takes, I asked Sandra Denton, Cheryl James, and DJ Spinderella for a group photo. They were happy to pose, and that’s how I got this photograph.”

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Half-pipe at the back of the Tunnel, New York, New York, 1993

Image Credit: Steve Eichner/© Prestel Verlag

“I was blown away by the half-pipe inside the Tunnel at the back of the dance floor. Each night an array of professional skaters would fly through the air doing tricks while revelers would party the night away. As an avid skateboarder myself, I would often take a break from shooting and hop in for a few runs. Here we see a guy blasting a massive ollie ariel.”

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Two party-goers at the Tunnel, New York, New York, 1994

Image Credit: Steve Eichner/© Prestel Verlag

“Two fashionable party-goers. Dressed for clubbing and ready for a night of fun, they walk down the staircase and onto the dance floor at the Tunnel. I wanted to document the fashion of the era.”

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Sushi, Richie Rich and Ernie Glam at the Tunnel, New York, New York, 1995

Image Credit: Steve Eichner/© Prestel Verlag

“Club kids dressed in flamboyant costumes promoted and participated in the wildest parties of the 1990s. They were the club scene’s ring leaders, and wherever they were, you could expect the time of your life. Exploring in your face fashion styles, they pushed the limits of androgyny and sexuality. Here we see three famous club kids — Sushi, Richie Rich, and Ernie Glam — drinks in hand and ready to make the party happen.”

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The Tunnel, New York, New York, 1995

Image Credit: Steve Eichner/© Prestel Verlag

“I passed through the co-ed bathroom at the Tunnel and noticed a group of people with lots of facial piercings. I began snapping photos, and the more I shot, the more they enjoyed being photographed. I remember screaming, ‘That’s a hell of a lot of hardware!’ over the pulsing club music. I love this playful, candid, intimate moment I was able to capture.”

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Dancing club-goer at Club USA, New York, New York, 1993

Image Credit: Steve Eichner/© Prestel Verlag

“Anything goes was the theme of the 1990s night club life. It was all about inclusion, self-expression, experimentation, and fun. Here we have a very fit man dancing to the music in boots, a leather G-string and nothing else except his bondage accessories: handcuffs and a leash. This photograph captures the essence of the theme.”

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Tupac Shakur at Club USA, 1994

Image Credit: Steve Eichner/© Prestel Verlag

“Tupac would not standstill. He stopped for a photo once, but he was bopping around the club, looking at everything. The neon lights and pounding bass from the sound system of Club USA seemed to add to his frenzy. He was excited like a kid with boundless energy. I could not keep up with him. I am happy to have met him and had the opportunity to take this picture. He is a talent that left us way too soon.”

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Jim Jarmusch and Joe Strummer of the Clash at Club USA, 1993

Image Credit: Steve Eichner/© Prestel Verlag

“Sometimes life is ‘Stranger Than Paradise,’ and it was for me one night in 1993 when I was ushered up to the Thierry Mugler room at Club USA to get a photo of Jim Jarmusch, the independent filmmaker. To my delight, he was standing next to Joe Strummer of the Clash. It turns out that Strummer had acted in a Jarmusch film. They had been buddies for a long time.”

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The Money Drop at Club USA, New York, New York, 1993

Image Credit: Steve Eichner/© Prestel Verlag

“The Money Drop at Club USA was always a major event and quite a gimmick to get people into the club. Billed as a way to catch handfuls of cash, it was quite fun to watch and photograph from afar, but I would not want to be in that crowd. At 2 am., everyone in the club crowded onto the dance floor. There was a countdown. The house lights came on, a bag of money hanging from the ceiling opened up, and it rained dollar bills onto the crowd. People went crazy, sometimes pushing and shoving to get a few dollar bills. I found out later that only about $1,000 dropped, and I doubt anyone got more than a few bucks after the frenzy. Not worth risking your life for.”

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Dancefloor at Palladium, New York, New York, 1995

Image Credit: Steve Eichner/© Prestel Verlag

“Susanne Bartsch, the queen of NYC nightlife, threw this party at the Palladium in 1995. Here is an overview of the massive dance floor where drag queens dance on platforms, and people packed in enjoy libations and get their grooves on. It is a reminder of how carefree the 1990s were and makes me long for being at a crowded event with the collective energy that only a live show can provide.”

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Shampoo Room at the Limelight, New York, New York, 1995

Image Credit: Steve Eichner/© Prestel Verlag

“The shampoo room at Limelight was good clean fun. This girl has this look on her face like this is so awesome, and her body language tells the entire story. A room filled with thick foam where you could dance, play, and fully let go was a stroke of genius. A total blast and made for amazing photos.”

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Peter Gatien at the Tunnel, New York, New York, 1995

Image Credit: Steve Eichner/© Prestel Verlag

“The Club King Peter Gatien presides over the door at the Tunnel. In the mid-1990s, he owned four mega clubs in NYC: Limelight, Tunnel, Club USA, and Palladium. I worked for him as house photographer, up all night going from club to club photographing celebrities at play to be published worldwide and garner publicity for his club empire. He believed in throwing the best parties by promoting diversity and nurturing creativity in music, art, sexuality, and design.”

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Angelo Moore of Fishbone at Limelight New York, New York, 1993

Image Credit: Steve Eichner/© Prestel Verlag

“Hanging upside down from the speaker is Angelo Moore of Fishbone. A moment that came and went in a flash. He was stage diving, crowd surfing and playing four saxophones simultaneously, all great shots, but when he climbed up to the balcony and did these acrobatics, it made for a very iconic picture.”

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Boy George performs at Tunnel, New York, New York, 1993

Image Credit: Steve Eichner/© Prestel Verlag

“I remember waiting in front of the stage for hours for a ‘surprise performance’ on the opening night for the Tunnel club. I could not get a drink or go to the bathroom because I would never get back to my spot through the crowd plus what if the show starts. Finally, the lights went down and the music started. The curtains parted and a red foot in a high-heel shoe popped out, then a leg, waist, and torso. It was Boy George — at the height of his popularity — dressed as a devil. His blue eyes piercing through the red makeup, horns on his head, and holding a daisy in one hand and a mic in the other. From a photographer’s perspective, he did not disappoint. A true ‘Karma Chameleon.'”

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Caged Inside the Tunnel, New York, 1993

Scott Weiland & Eric Kretz of Stone Temple Pilots Pilots at Club USA, 1993

Salt-N-Pepa video shoot for ‘Shoop’ at Club USA, New York, 1993

Half-pipe at the back of the Tunnel, New York, New York, 1993

Two party-goers at the Tunnel, New York, New York, 1994

Sushi, Richie Rich and Ernie Glam at the Tunnel, New York, New York, 1995

The Tunnel, New York, New York, 1995

Dancing club-goer at Club USA, New York, New York, 1993

Tupac Shakur at Club USA, 1994

Jim Jarmusch and Joe Strummer of the Clash at Club USA, 1993

The Money Drop at Club USA, New York, New York, 1993

Dancefloor at Palladium, New York, New York, 1995

Shampoo Room at the Limelight, New York, New York, 1995

Peter Gatien at the Tunnel, New York, New York, 1995

Angelo Moore of Fishbone at Limelight New York, New York, 1993

Boy George performs at Tunnel, New York, New York, 1993