A Gym for Creativity

The Coterie Den is a multimedia space in Japantown, San Jose that differs from other studio spaces and venues in the area. It’s a multimedia space that resembles Eric Foreman’s basement from That 70’s Show, a place that’s made for artists to feel comfortable in. “Friendly, welcoming, creative” is how Coterie Den audio engineer Isandro describes it. Down a narrow set of stairs—walls covered in classic album covers—is a multimedia space that includes a recording studio, a sound stage for live performances, a photography studio, and six hungry and talented artists who help keep the creative engine running.

The Coterie Den consists of rapper and owner Lucas Millan (aka “L James”), lead audio engineer Isandro Biaco, photographer and videographer Danny Cardona, web and graphic designer Wyatt Perkins, intern audio engineer Angel Cabebe (aka “Mac”), and graphic designer Bryan Reed—six different personalities from various backgrounds with one common goal: to grow themselves and the artists they work with. “Trying to get out of the harsh reality and make our lives better,” Mac says when asked what influences him and the rest of the Den to work hard and make The Coterie Den a hub for San Jose. Each member of the team is unique: Isandro moved to San Jose from the Philippines. Wyatt is a 19-year-old former skater who showed up to Coterie Den and ended up developing their website and now runs the business side. “I see [The Coterie Den] the same as skating: take that risky jump down some stairs, take that risky jump in life. It’s all the same,” Wyatt says. Dan, a gym rat who does CrossFit competitions and creates gym content, joined the team as a photography intern. A year later, he’s done photography for various artists and even some 49ers players. Brian, a former tagger, is now able to produce artwork that provides a legal income through graphic design. Lastly is Mac, the latest member to join the team as an audio engineer. Bringing people out of their element and networking in a very direct way is a big part of Coterie Den. L James describes it as a “gym feeling,” where artists visit to get their reps in. “If you’re hungry, here’s a real opportunity,” L James says.

“I see The Coterie Den the same as skating: take that risky jump down some stairs, take that risky jump in life. It’s all the same.” 
– Wyatt Perkins

The space is bookings-based, unless the team has their own projects to work on. Every month, the Den hosts three open mic nights to keep that feeling of repetition going for participating artists. During these nights, an artist can sharpen their tongue in front of other creatives, which can result in a song being made and later recorded at The Coterie Den. Another monthly event hosted by the Den is a thrift and vintage market. These events are intended to bring people to the space and show artists that the Den can be a creative home where similar people are looking for a creative community. In the past, groups in the valley chose to be gatekeepers instead of building with other creatives in the city. The Coterie Den wants to bring a more unselfish vibe to the creative scene in Silicon Valley. “Extending the web” is how the group describes their space. Their location next to Jubo Clothing’s Coldwater store and partnerships with EMLN, SJ Foo’s, Tankshop, among others, is an example of the web they are expanding. Even with their quick rise, they see their growth as a step-by-step process. 

Even though the Den has every means for an artist to make a project, promote it, and grow their creative business, the crew at Coterie Den is honest enough to say that it’s too early to become a record label or to start managing artists. The Den, as of right now, is about growing what they have and ensuring good time management. “The house isn’t built, but we see the foundation and structure from the bricks we put in place.” L James says. “Expansion is on our minds, and it starts with us too, mastering ourselves so that we’ll be able to expand, mastering our own systems, mastering the open mics, mastering our thrift markets, mastering our recording services, mastering our photography services—expanding using our systems that we already have put in place.”

In 1977, the New York club CBGB was famous for being the home of punk rock. Bands like Blondie, the Ramones, and Sex Pistols didn’t just perform there during the early years, they also bonded and became a family. CBGB is also where Andy Warhol met the Velvet Underground and formed their relationship. For San Jose, The Coterie Den has that same energy, a place where artists can come together and, as L James says, “get their reps in.” The Den is a creative gym where artists can grow and build on top of what already makes them unique. The web they’re expanding doesn’t just stop in San Jose. They look to hopefully have a Den in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York. But until then, the team wants to create the place where people from both inside and outside of San Jose come to sharpen their skills and connect with other artists like them. The Coterie Den is a creative gym growing a new generation of artists. 

thecoterieden.com
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169 Jackson Street
San Jose, California