Lift Your Head Up
“Starpool” is the official entry for NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest 2026! This is a song about imagination through despair, and finding another way.
The NPR Tiny Desk Contest features independent music artists and is a cool showcase of songwriting, and desks! The Repressions desk is floating among the stars behind them, and very tiny.
It was a pleasure to make this video. We hope you enjoy it.
Read All The Books! New YouTube video today! It’s “Thank You Charlotte Bronte,” live, at The Next Chapter, a vast, beautiful bookstore and art space. What a perfect place (and audience) for this song.
Women authors have always struggled to be accepted objectively, for this reason, and others far more oppressive in the past, they have used pen names, often male. Still today many use pen names or initials in the hopes of being judged fairly. Why should marketing and sexism detract from precious books and thought? Here is to the excellent authors mentioned, those that could not fit in the song, and to books themselves. Read all the books!
Thank you again to Alana Hollander, Dark Donovan, Zach, and everyone at The Next Chapter!
You can find the next live shows here, or enjoy a show from home, twice a week on Twitch.
~November News~
New Music Alert! “DOWN” releases on Friday November 7th (Bandcamp Friday.) You can find the links at the widgets above or by clicking to Linktree here: LINKS TO Apple Music, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Amazon Music, Bandcamp, &More .
DOWN is a song about giving in to things that comfort you.
UPCOMING SHOWS
The Repressions are excited for these upcoming shows in November and December. Let’s get out and celebrate New York City!
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 29, 2025 – 8:30 PM
ESPRESSO 77 – 35-57 77th St, Jackson Heights, NYC 11372
THURSDAY DECEMBER 11, 2025 – 8:00 pm
BAKER FALLS – 192 Allen St, New York, NY 10002
MONDAY DECEMBER 22, 2025 – 8:00 PM
COWGIRL SEAHORSE – 259 Front St, New York, NY 10038
NEW VIDEO
Today on YouTube, a live performance video of “Life Size Unicorn” from last month’s LIC Bar shpw, with a lot of fun audience participation.
New merch is coming next month, too. We hope to see you at one of the shows, or on our Twitch Channel (2 livestream shows every week.)
Thank you for your support in the magic and the music.
It has been a very busy October! Lots of live shows in NYC, Barbara’s piano mid-term at Juilliard Extension, an upcoming Halloween show on Twitch, and of course, attending the Chelsea Film Festival as our song “We Are The Strange Ones” is featured in Friends Not Food. We’re trying to post at least one video from every live show this year on YouTube, and you can find the shorts and reels on Tiktok, Instagram and more for the short versions. This week it’s “Ophelia’s Song” live at Pete’s Candy Store in Brooklyn. We had an amzing time playing there. Video and link below. Such a fantastic month!
Photos by Alexandra Stafford
November will be exciting, playing love songs at a wedding on November 1, and then celebrating the long awaited single release of DOWN, available for pre-order now, and everywhere for streaming and downloading on November 7, 2025.
Thank you for watching, look for updates to
We are just cozy pumpkins in October. Cozy and busy, and happy to keep making music!
The Repressions return to Espresso 77 on Saturday October 4th with original songs and cover songs for all moods and weather. It’s a cozy-cool place to relax, connect, and enjoy the evening. Show from 8:30-10:30 at Espresso 77 – 35-57 77th St, Jackson Heights, Queens, NYC 11372 -All Ages and No Cover
On Wednesday October 15th, The Repressions are playing LIC Bar, a staple for indie music in NYC. No Cover – 21+. Show begins at 8pm.
Today our orange autumn Repressions are shaing a new video from last week’s show at Cowgirl Seahorse. It’s Followcat, probably our coziest song. Give it a listen and like and subscribe – in a cozy way.
November is going to be full of fall finery as well, including the next single release “Down,” on November 7th. Thank you for listening, and we hope you get a chance to curl up with some cozy cats and a cup of tea soon.
New YouTube video today! It’s “We Are The Strange Ones,” live, from their August Midtown Music concert at Moynihan Station (across from Madison Square Garden). It was a wonderful day with The Bumper Crop Boys and an incredible crowd. Thank you to the 34th St. Partnership, Astoria Music Collective for the opportunity to play at one of our favorite NYC buildings. Special thanks to Music Blogger and Videographer Citizenhullabaloo for the video! We love our city.
You can find the official track for this song on Spotify and all other music platforms, just click the links above.
New YouTube video today ~ Live from The Local Hostels Hotel in NYC as part of the Metro Retro Folk Rock Review show, The Repressions cover “Deep In Love” by Bonny Light Horseman.
Thanks for watching! You can see The Repressions live in NYC, or twice a week live streaming shows on Twitch!
New YouTube video today… The Repressions cover John Denver’s “Annie’s Song,” live, by request on Twitch. John Denver has been a favorite of both Nathanael and Barbara for their entire lives. Thank you to our wonderful friends and followers on Twitch for the requests and the colorful emotes.
You can make song requests and join the lovely online crowd and chat on Twitch, twice a week, free to watch from anywhere.
Whenever we are honest with ourselves or others, we may find ourselves beginning, again. Today on YouTube we have “Again and Over.” This is a live performance from Repressions’ June show at E77, with full lyrics added. The truth can be wild and colorful.
Again and Over – words and music by The Repressions ©️ 2021 Colorful Castle
The Repressions had a magical evening with Roomful of Sky Music at MARY O’s this week. Many thanks to Phil Robinson, Jason Vitelli, Kim Jade, Will O’Halloran, Swagata Biswas, and Louette Louette. Today on YouTube, catch the live performance of Let’s Get Depressed with that wonderful crowd!
The Repressions 