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Articles by Simon Morrison
LIVE REVIEW – MULL HISTORICAL SOCIETY: HALLE ST MICHAEL’S – 17/09/2026
The back bar and merch area of St Michael’s affords a good overview of the room: This former church, now bathed in lush – even sacrilegious – red light still has the raised stage, the alter. And it forms the perfect environment for this latest meeting of the Mull Historical Society. But do not be beguiled… this is not the actual Mull Historical Society – that loose assemblage of no doubt grey-bearded, round-tummied, Arran-jumpered men – but the band, named after their association.
Beyond Power Plants: How smart grids are redefining the future of energy
RENEWABLE ENEGRY Across the globe, traditional grid infrastructure is evolving to keep pace with rising demand and an increasingly complex energy mix. Smart grids can provide the solutions we need to support the renewable energy transition, integrate new technologies, and build a more resilient power system for the future.
Semiconductor supply chains and the future of clean energy
SEMICONDUCTORS Related Vendors The global transition to renewable energy is being held back by ongoing geopolitical tensions, trade restrictions, and the inherent structural vulnerabilities of semiconductor manufacturing. We explore how the fragility of the semiconductor supply chain is impacting the green energy revolution, what a worst-case scenario might look like, and what can be done to mitigate the risk of a semiconductor supply chain crisis.
The challenge of electricity abundance in the renewable era
Newsletter Whitepaper Webinars Products & Applications Latest Articles in "Products & Applications" Industry News Latest Articles in "Industry News" Research & Development Latest Articles in "Research & Development" Tools & Software Latest Articles in "Tools & Software" Experts Services more... RENEWABLE ENERGY Related Vendors Global electricity supply is reaching new highs, driven in large part by the rapid expansion of wind and solar energy.
‘Anything Can Happen’: Performing the Heroine of ‘Eugene Onegin’
The soprano Asmik Grigorian is one of the most sought-after singers in the world. And she is now performing one of her signature roles — Tatiana, the heroine of Tchaikovsky’s “Eugene Onegin” — at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. Grigorian, 44, grew up in Vilnius, Lithuania, the daughter of an Armenian tenor and a Lithuanian soprano. Following in her parents’ footsteps, she became an opera singer, beginning her career abroad before establishing herself at home.
'Anything Can Happen': Performing the Heroine of 'Eugene Onegin'
Soprano Asmik Grigorian is one of the most sought-after singers in the world. And she is now performing one of her signature roles -- Tatiana, the hero of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's "Eugene Onegin" -- at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. Grigorian, 44, grew up in Vilnius, Lithuania, the daughter of an Armenian tenor and a Lithuanian soprano. Following in her parents' footsteps, she became an opera singer, beginning her career abroad before establishing herself at home.
AI and the environment: what’s the real cost of technological innovation?
Newsletter Whitepaper Webinars Products & Applications Latest Articles in "Products & Applications" Industry News Latest Articles in "Industry News" Research & Development Latest Articles in "Research & Development" Tools & Software Latest Articles in "Tools & Software" Experts Services more... ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE The widespread adoption of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) is ushering in a new digital era.
The material footprint of the energy transition
Newsletter Whitepaper Webinars Products & Applications Latest Articles in "Products & Applications" Industry News Latest Articles in "Industry News" Research & Development Latest Articles in "Research & Development" Tools & Software Latest Articles in "Tools & Software" Experts Services more... SEMICONDUCTORS Related Vendors Semiconductors are essential for the continued expansion of the renewable energy revolution.
A New Birth of Freedom in Hungary
On April 12, Viktor Orbán’s sixteen years of illiberal rule came to an end in Hungary. Opposition leader Péter Magyar defeated Orbán in a landslide victory, securing a two-thirds majority in parliament. Analysts in Hungary and abroad are now busy trying to make sense of what configuration of developments made it possible to unseat a leader widely celebrated in global right-wing circles for transforming Hungary into a textbook case of illiberal authoritarianism.
The Gulag and the University
It’s so cold that frostbite happens within minutes. Sunrise and sunset are three hours apart. But work needs to be done in the mine shafts, on the power grid, and for the railroad that goes into the distant town. Everyone in the brigade wears the same uniform: valenki (felt boots), a shoddy outer coat of pleated wool, and a head covering. Breakfast before work is porridge or herring with black bread; in the afternoon, there is weak soup and the same bread.
Living the Ex-Pat Life in Moscow at the End of the Soviet Empire
Russia (Rossiya) has never been called Russia, not officially. It’s been the Tsardom of Russia, Imperial Russia, Soviet Russia, and the Russian Federation but never just Russia. That place doesn’t exist, except in the imagination, in a dreamscape of crime and punishment, war and peace, Uncle Vanya and Doctor Zhivago.
Boek | Moskou - Simon Morrison
Een beeldende en meeslepende geschiedenis van Moskou en haar rol op het wereldtoneel. Moskou, de Russische hoofdstad met zijn duizend jaar geschiedenis en onmetelijke invloed op de wetenschap en cultuur, is in onze westerse ogen nog even vreemd en ver van ons bed als hij was tijdens de Koude Oorlog.
LIVE REVIEW - MOGWAI: MANCHESTER APOLLO - 27/02/2026
“Thank you Manchester, for rejecting fascism last night.” Stuart Brathwaite – guitarist and vocalist for Mogwai – stands in front of a Palestine flag and celebrates the outbreak of common sense that brought Hannah Spencer of the Green Party the Gorton and Denton seat in this week’s by-election, beating Reform. He is met by a wall of applause. “This is Manchester… we do things differently here,” said Spencer in her victory speech, channelling Tony Wilson.
A Kingdom and a Village: A One-Thousand-Year History of Moscow
Winston Churchill famously des-cribed Soviet Russia as ‘a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma’. At the start of A Kingdom and a Village, Simon Morrison, who treats the story of Moscow as inseparable from the history of Russia, repudiates the Churchillian cliché.
Semiconductor materials: A comprehensive overview
SEMICONDUCTOR Related Vendors Microchips are the backbone of our digitised world. These highly complex electronic devices are constructed using a variety of semiconductor materials. As our need for computing power increases, the development of more powerful and versatile semiconductor materials has become more important than ever. The global digital infrastructure depends on the production of advanced semiconductor materials (Source: © uflypro - stock.adobe.com) We live in a digital age.
10 Facts about electric vehicles
ELECTRIC MOBILITY Related Vendors The combustion engine-powered automobile is one of the cornerstones of modern society. Once seen as a curiosity, electric vehicles are now regarded as the future of mobility. We’ve compiled some fascinating facts about the newest chapter in transportation. Humanity has always sought to overcome the challenges of distance and satisfy our curiosity and wanderlust.
LIVE REVIEW - BLACK COUNTRY, NEW ROAD: MANCHESTER ALBERT HALL - 13/09/25
A young man with long hair stands right at the front of the crowd, centre stage. He sings every word of every song, seeming to conduct the band, his hands as batons. He looks like he got to the Albert Hall about a week before the gig and would have willingly fought anyone in the crowd to get to his prime spot. Black Country, New Road dedicate one song to him, and make sure he has a setlist from the night. This is evidently a band with a dedicated fanbase.
10 Solar Power Facts - You might be surprised
RENEWABLE ENERGY Clean, cheap, and abundant, solar power could be the answer to the world’s energy crisis. The solar industry is growing at an astonishing rate as technology provides us with more efficient ways of generating solar power. In this article, we’ve shed light on 10 surprising facts about solar power The Sun is the largest object in our Solar System, containing about 99.86 % of its total mass.
Cybersecurity in power electronics - Can we safeguard the future?
Newsletter Whitepaper Webinars Products & Applications Latest Articles in "Products & Applications" Industry News Latest Articles in "Industry News" Research & Development Latest Articles in "Research & Development" Tools & Software Latest Articles in "Tools & Software" Experts Services more... CYBERSECURITY Related Vendors Power electronics are integral to our way of life. However, the proliferation of technology has made us increasingly vulnerable to cybercriminals.
Can Moore’s Law lead us to utopia?
Newsletter Whitepaper Webinars Products & Applications Latest Articles in "Products & Applications" Industry News Latest Articles in "Industry News" Research & Development Latest Articles in "Research & Development" Tools & Software Latest Articles in "Tools & Software" Experts Services more... SEMICONDUCTOR Related Vendors Following the tenets of Moore’s Law has led to the development of highly advanced technologies.
Petite histoire de la boîte de nuit, des sous-sols du Royaume-Uni aux plages d’Ibiza
Des sous-sols de la banlieue de Manchester aux plages enflammées d’Ibiza, la boîte de nuit n’a jamais cessé de se réinventer. Avant d’être le lieu de fête par excellence, le club était surtout un refuge pour adolescents, car isolé du monde des adultes. Depuis, la culture du club s’est largement développée et les boîtes de nuit sont devenues de véritables espaces de liberté : une évolution autant sociale qu’artistique.
Simon Morrison
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From 60s Disco To Today's Raves: How Dance Floors Have Mirrored Social Change
When US rock'n'roll arrived in the UK in the mid-1950s, there were few places for British teenagers to dance to this exciting new genre. But by the early 1960s, dance venues specifically aimed at teenagers began to open in towns and cities. Unlike the sometimes grand and opulent ballrooms that had been the stomping grounds of their parents, the new teen-oriented discotheques of the 1960s tended to be located in altogether contrasting spaces, in terms of architecture and atmosphere.
Moore's Law: Unveiling the hidden costs of tech advancement
Newsletter Whitepaper Webinars Products & Applications Latest Articles in "Products & Applications" Industry News Latest Articles in "Industry News" Research & Development Latest Articles in "Research & Development" Tools & Software Latest Articles in "Tools & Software" Experts Services more... SEMICONDUCTORS Related Vendors For more than half a century, Moore’s Law has governed the exponential growth of technology.
A brief history of dance music - from basements to beaches, dancefloors have mirrored social change
When US rock'n'roll arrived in the UK in the mid-1950s, there were few places for British teenagers to dance to this exciting new genre. But by the early 1960s, dance venues specifically aimed at teenagers began to open in towns and cities. Unlike the sometimes grand and opulent ballrooms that had been the stomping grounds of their parents, the new teen-oriented discotheques of the 1960s tended to be located in altogether contrasting spaces, in terms of architecture and atmosphere.
LIVE REVIEW - ANTHONY SZMIEREK: ALBERT HALL - 21/03/2025
Unlike comedian Louis CK (CK for “Székely”), Anthony Szmierek has the chutzpah to stick with his given name, and also the confidence to almost single-handedly bring back the faded-in perm and banging ‘tache combo. It shouldn’t really work, but boy does it. Just like an English teacher from Hyde mixing spoken word delivery with phat round beats… and even rave vibes … possibly shouldn’t work.
LIVE REVIEW - SNOW PATROL: MANCHESTER CO-OP LIVE - 22/02/2025
“I appreciate a few songs ago I told you to sing ‘open your eyes’ and now I’m asking you to sing ‘shut your eyes’… but… fuck it.” To be honest Gary Lightbody could ask this crowd to sing ‘Half a Pound of Tuppeny Rice’ and they would gladly comply. And that’s quite something when you consider we are all of us – band, audience, shared good vibes and all – in the largest indoor arena in the UK. Manchester’s new(ish) Co-Op Live.
Moore's Law: You Can't Go Smaller Than an Atom
SEMICONDUCTORS Related Vendors Moore’s Law has been one of the guiding principles behind the acceleration of technology for 60 years. But as we reach the limits of miniaturization, it seems that Moore’s Law is becoming – or already is – obsolete. Will the speed of technological advancement grind to a halt with the end of Moore’s Law? Or are there other avenues we can explore to enhance computing power?
What's driving the European PCB industry crisis?
Newsletter Whitepaper Webinars Products & Applications Latest Articles in "Products & Applications" Industry News Latest Articles in "Industry News" Research & Development Latest Articles in "Research & Development" Tools & Software Latest Articles in "Tools & Software" Experts Services more... PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD MARKET Related Vendors The European printed circuit board industry is in turmoil.
LIVE REVIEW: JORDAN RAKEI - ALBERT HALL 26/09/24
The elegant, frayed decay of the Albert Hall gives it its charm, its chunky charisma. It is arguably our finest live venue, the balcony like a hug, the room something of an architectural cuddle. And if it’s not homely enough, tonight there are rugs on the stage, and lamps dotted about as well, so that it feels as though Jordan Rakei has invited us into his living room, with the conversation of the crowd a kind of aural smudge in the background domesticity.
LIVE REVIEW: THE LEMON TWIGS - ACADEMY 2 12/09/24
The Brian Wilson vocals announce the Twigs are about to twig their way onto the stage, and take the Academy 2 on a strange hour and a half of time-travelling, genre-bending, jangly retro Americana. Plus some Merseybeat. It’s 60s… at times it’s 70s… it’s a little discombobulating, which would be a problem were it not all so… well, nice.
10 Surprising Facts About Wind Energy: Future of Renewable Power
Newsletter Whitepaper Webinars by Products & Applications Latest Articles in "Products & Applications" Industry News Latest Articles in "Industry News" Research & Development Latest Articles in "Research & Development" Tools & Software Latest Articles in "Tools & Software" Experts Services more... RENEWABLE ENERGY Related Vendors Wind farms are an incredibly efficient and effective means of gathering renewable energy. Wind turbines now provide up to 7.8% of the world’s electricity.
Tchaikovsky’s Empire: A New Life of Russia’s Greatest Composer
A new life, Simon Morrison’s book brands itself. But it is also a somewhat selective life, notable almost as much for what is omitted as for what it includes. This, I hasten to add, is deliberate. ‘The details of his life presented here’, Morrison announces at the outset, ‘are fewer than in other books about Tchaikovsky,’ the general aim being ‘to distance his music from the letters to his brothers, sister, and trusted friends’.
The global hotspots of power electronics: Where innovations are emerging
POWER ELECTRONICS Related Vendors Held annually in Nuremberg, Germany, PCIM Europe acts as a meeting place for power electronics specialists from across the globe. As the industry continues to struggle with skills shortages and learns how to harness new technologies, we examine where the latest developments and innovations are taking place. Industry conferences and exhibitions act as important meeting places where experts can share ideas, discover new developments, and broaden their networks.
How wide bandgap semiconductor materials are changing power electronics
WBG SEMICONDUCTORS New materials are allowing the creation of faster, more powerful, energy-efficient, and more heat-resistant semiconductors. Wide bandgap semiconductor materials have the potential to transform power electronics and the world as we know it. But there are issues we must overcome before we can take full advantage of these remarkable materials. Make it smaller, faster, and more powerful. This is the catch cry of the power electronics industry.
Why the European power electronics industry is still struggling to attract and retain top talent
SKILLS SHORTAGE Related Vendors The power electronics industry is helping to forge our technological future. However, a shortage of skilled workers proved to be a major headache throughout 2022 and 2023. Is the European power electronics industry still fighting to find the staff it needs? We scrutinize the reasons why it’s so difficult to find the people this vital industry needs. Things should be looking very good for the future of the European power electronics industry.
What 2024 has in store for the semiconductor industry
Newsletter Whitepaper Webinars Discover the PCIM Europe Products & Applications Latest Articles in "Products & Applications" Industry News Latest Articles in "Industry News" Research & Development Latest Articles in "Research & Development" Tools & Software Latest Articles in "Tools & Software" Experts Services more... MARKET OVERVIEW Related Vendors After a slump at the start of 2023, the semiconductor industry looks set to recover and enter a new phase.
American Historical Association 2024
We are pleased to present these titles at a 40% discount for all conference attendees. Enter promo code UCPAHA at checkout. Interested in another title not featured here? This code is good for all History titles as well. If placing an order at ucpress.edu, online ordering is currently available in the U.S. and Canada only. Pre-orders at ucpress.edu are available for books publishing within 30 days. Requests can be made for any titles listed here, directly from the book's page on our website.
LIVE REVIEW: DJANGO DJANGO - NEW CENTURY HALLS 13/12/23
Advice After Tooth Extractions: 1. Take painkillers as soon as possible and before local anaesthetic wears off, and thereafter as necessary for the pain. Check… 2. Avoid rinsing out your mouth or disturbing the extraction socket for the first 24 hours, so as not to upset the natural blood clot forming, which initiates healing. OK… 3. Avoid exercise for the rest of the day. Would love to, thank you. 4. Do not drink anything alcoholic for the first 24 hours. Ah. Oh dear. 5.
American Studies Association 2023
We are pleased to present these titles at a 40% discount for all conference attendees. Enter promo code UCPASA at checkout. Interested in another title not featured here? This code is good for all American Studies titles as well. If placing an order at ucpress.edu, online ordering is currently available in the U.S. and Canada only. Pre-orders at ucpress.edu are available for books publishing within 30 days. Requests can be made for any titles listed here, directly from the book's page on our website.
A closer look at the current semiconductor supply chain
SEMICONDUCTORS Reading Time: 7 min Supply chain disruptions have had a major impact on the semiconductor industry in recent years. While 2023 has finally seen the chip shortage subside, future demand for highly specialized semiconductors is set to skyrocket. Will the chip industry giants be able to keep up or will there be a catastrophic semiconductor shortage caused by continued supply chain failures? Semiconductors are critical components in the technology that powers our modern world.
Magicube Blocks and Cards 16 Piece Set: Toy Review
The wonder of play is seeing a child take a set of building blocks and visualise anything from a barn to an elephant. But sometimes it can be good to add some inspiration to get the spark of creativity flowing. The new set from Geomag’s early years Magicube now comes with a set of 6 colourful, double-sided cards to build little one’s confidence in creating any number of shapes and creatures from the blocks. Card ideas include a shrimp’s tail, a hot air balloon and a centipede.
Connetix Magnetic Tiles: Toy Review
From a multi-coloured fox to a cathedral, our young reviewer’s imagination explores the world of Connetix magnetic tiles. Connetix Tiles are a range of colourful magnetic shapes that can be used to create both flat and 3-D structures. The tiles come in a good range of shapes and sizes providing plenty of options for little oneâs imaginations. The tiles opaque nature means that the light reflects through them giving a beautiful appearance, almost like stained-glass.
Message in a Bottle: Dance Review
According to dramaturg, Lolita Chakrabarti’s programme note, Message in a Bottle, (the Sadler’s Wells dance show, based on the music of Sting) tells the story of one family, living in ‘a village in a country far away’ whose lives are torn apart by civil war. Their three teenage children ‘undertake a perilous journey to safer shores’, their plight intensified when each becomes separated from the others.
Yayoi Kusama: You, Me and the Balloons: Review Manchester International Festival
If you spent any significant time in your youth raving on any of this planet’s finest dancefloors, then this collection of psychedelic inflatables might … just might… already make some time of sense. You might also be in with a shout if your name happens to be Lewis Carroll. Other than that, how best to describe it? Well, imagine you fell asleep, and then woke up in a world constructed entirely within a lava lamp.
John Grant Sings the Songs of Patsy Cline with Richard Hawley and Band: Review MIF – Quays Life
John Grant singing the songs of Patsy Cline with Richard Hawley and his band was always going to be a great opening act for Manchester’s newest venue, Aviva Studios. Heralded as part of Manchester International Festival, the musical pairing is not as off-key as might first appear: Grant has the southern lineage to Cline and Hawley the musical one.
Noah’s Flood: Review at Manchester International Festival
Combining Middle English mystery play, orchestra, opera singers, Manchester icon Lemn Sissay and a vast array of young and amateur performers, Noah’s Flood – co-produced by Manchester Collective and Leeds-based theatre company Slung Low – feels like a quintessentially MIF experience: eclectic, surprising and unique. It is staged in the industrial surroundings of Depot Mayfield – a venue that has been used to great effect in previous festivals.
Sanam Marvi: Review Manchester International Festival
“The purpose of the Sama is to create the conditions in which the human soul can experience divine love. Transcendental and ecstatic, the music produces in the listener an intense love for God.” (Barbican website on Sufi music). There’s an encouragingly mixed crowd gathered in the hall at the not quite finished Factory International venue on Water Street (a grimly prophetic location for a certain reviewer, who arrived having soaked up half a reservoir in a crazy Manchester downpour).
Intel makes its move into Magdeburg, Germany
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REVIEW Angélique Kidjo at Manchester International Festival 2023
There has, of course, been much debate about The Factory, not least of which is that it is no longer called The Factory. I have passed this strange, white, contemporary carbuncle developing on the side of a new concrete block on the banks of the River Irwell over the past few years, and with great interest contemplated what might be going on within. But that is not even to be pejorative and there will be no narrative tease here… cards on the table, I am all in.
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