The Ironing Maidens
Quirky music performance using irons and ironing boards as electronic instruments..
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About
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Listen / Watch
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What People Say
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Workshop
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Name
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The Ironing Maidens
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Genre(s)
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Electronic
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Content
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Originals Only
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Taking Bookings
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Australia Wide
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About Us
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Award-winning electronic duo, The Ironing Maidens are putting domestic labour, technology and the history of women in electronic music centre stage with their live electronic performance art piece.
Ingeniously adapting real irons and ironing boards into electronic instruments to create breakthrough music (and a new genre - electro housewife!). The Ironing Maidens have toured Europe, playing Germany's famous Fusion Festival, The Performing Arts Festival Berlin, featured at Byron Bay's Falls Festival, Woodford Folk Festival, Jungle Love, The Planting Festival, were finalists in the Grant McLennan Fellowship and won a John Chataway Innovation Award for their shows at Adelaide Fringe Festival in 2019. The show is timely, relevant and thought provoking, but at the same time wholly entertaining and funny. It's a mix of music, visuals, costumes lighting, dancing, heaps of energy and plenty of ironing puns. Last year it toured regional laundromats in NSW and QLD (supported by Arts QLD, Create NSW and the Australia Council for the Arts) to rave reviews, sold out shows and so much media attention- even appearing on the Today Show. The Ironing Maidens, Patty Preece and Melania Jack, inspired this experimental electronic arts project as a homage to the work of Daphne Oram, an unsung pioneer of music technology from the 1950’s whose work has been instrumental in the development of the electronic sound industry. "Looking into the themes prominent during the 1950s when women like Daphne Oram were developing their highly influential work, we noticed parallels between the dismissal of women’s work in the home and the lack of recognition for women in music technology development," said Patty. "So we developed a new show exploring ways of creating sound with the irons (an iconic symbol) and discussing attitudes around issues of recognition". The music is a fresh new take on house music, with 4 to the floor beats, driving 303 style bass patterns, samples from 1950’s advertising and real-world laundry sounds as well as lyrical concepts that will iron out your idea’s about housework and gender roles. Be quick to get in on this one of a kind, experience. It will transform the way you view ironing, housework and electronic music - forever! |
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What We Bring
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The Ironing Maidens sits within the new genre of "gig theatre" (big in the UK). This is a family friendly event that you can take your gran to. It's also a cutting edge experience to impress your friends with. It's a mix of electronic music using irons and ironing boards as electronic instruments, projected visuals, costumes, lighting, dancing, heaps of energy and plenty of ironing puns. It won an innovation award at Adelaide Fringe two years running. It ticks the LGBTI box.
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Members
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Melania Jack - performer
Patty Preece - performer |
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Country
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Australia
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State / Region
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Queensland
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Home town
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Cairns
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“As if turning a cruel stereotype into a piece of art wasn’t enough, The Ironing Maidens are rocking inventive sounds and inspirational girl power.”
MUSIC IS MY MUSE
Click to read further testimonials
“As if turning a cruel stereotype into a piece of art wasn’t enough, The Ironing Maidens are rocking inventive sounds and inspirational girl power.”
MUSIC IS MY MUSE
Click to read further testimonials
Workshop: Yes - we run DIY synth workshops for kids and parents