Phil Gentry
@pmgentry.bsky.social
musicologist at the University of Delaware, citizen of West Philly.
http://instagram.com/philipmgentry
Current projects:
-250 Years of History and Performance in Philadelphia
-Anti-Communist Blacklisting in the Music Industry, 1945–1960
http://instagram.com/philipmgentry
Current projects:
-250 Years of History and Performance in Philadelphia
-Anti-Communist Blacklisting in the Music Industry, 1945–1960
One does not feel confident that the OU administration has their faculty member’s back…
November 24, 2025 at 10:51 PM
One does not feel confident that the OU administration has their faculty member’s back…
And the most environmentally-sustainable building technique of all is to keep using a building that was already built 100 years ago!
November 24, 2025 at 2:01 PM
And the most environmentally-sustainable building technique of all is to keep using a building that was already built 100 years ago!
New market-rate apartment buildings have been going up, and that’s fine, there’s plenty of vacant land, but all of it is too small and too expensive for families—the whole trickle-down theory affordability does not work if the existing dense housing stock goes away.
November 24, 2025 at 2:01 PM
New market-rate apartment buildings have been going up, and that’s fine, there’s plenty of vacant land, but all of it is too small and too expensive for families—the whole trickle-down theory affordability does not work if the existing dense housing stock goes away.
Desegregated public schools depend upon desegregated housing, and one of the magical things about our neighborhood has always been the mix of housing types that help produce a school that is more diverse than most in the city. But one of part of the equation is literally burning down.
November 24, 2025 at 1:43 PM
Desegregated public schools depend upon desegregated housing, and one of the magical things about our neighborhood has always been the mix of housing types that help produce a school that is more diverse than most in the city. But one of part of the equation is literally burning down.
To add on to my quote in there; the neighboring elementary school has a catchment divide between large Victorian twins that are getting increasingly expensive, and large apartment buildings that are quite affordable. In recent memory, three of those apartment buildings have been gutted by fire.
November 24, 2025 at 1:43 PM
To add on to my quote in there; the neighboring elementary school has a catchment divide between large Victorian twins that are getting increasingly expensive, and large apartment buildings that are quite affordable. In recent memory, three of those apartment buildings have been gutted by fire.
Appreciate @wbender99.bsky.social for continuing to tug on the threads of this complicated but also obviously tragic situation. www.inquirer.com/news/phil-pu...
Landlord Phil Pulley transferred ownership of West Philly apartments days before suspected arson, records show
Property records show the notorious landlord signed a deed transfer two days before the June 2025 fire. The new owners are now demolishing the building.
www.inquirer.com
November 24, 2025 at 1:43 PM
Appreciate @wbender99.bsky.social for continuing to tug on the threads of this complicated but also obviously tragic situation. www.inquirer.com/news/phil-pu...
Gonna put a link to this in the “policies” section of my syllabi.
Don't let AI do your homework, Pope Leo tells US youth reut.rs/48tKTYY
Don't let AI do your homework, Pope Leo tells US youth
Artificial intelligence may be a useful tool for learning, but don't use it for your homework, Pope Leo told about 15,000 U.S. youth during a question-and-answer session on Friday.
reut.rs
November 23, 2025 at 4:07 PM
Gonna put a link to this in the “policies” section of my syllabi.
Truly a wonderful man. A few years later I went to UCLA to study with him for real, but he passed away right before I got there.
November 22, 2025 at 11:04 PM
Truly a wonderful man. A few years later I went to UCLA to study with him for real, but he passed away right before I got there.
Then by extremely random chance, Philip Brett was coming to my campus that month to give a talk, and I got to have tea with him. And here I am now!
November 22, 2025 at 10:11 PM
Then by extremely random chance, Philip Brett was coming to my campus that month to give a talk, and I got to have tea with him. And here I am now!
As a college sophomore, on a whim I did a library catalogue search for “gay+music” and sat down in the stacks to read “Musicality, Essentialism, and the Closet.”
November 22, 2025 at 10:11 PM
As a college sophomore, on a whim I did a library catalogue search for “gay+music” and sat down in the stacks to read “Musicality, Essentialism, and the Closet.”
Amidst all the funny moments, let’s not forget the image of Donald Trump personally finding a portrait of FDR “in the vaults.”
November 22, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Amidst all the funny moments, let’s not forget the image of Donald Trump personally finding a portrait of FDR “in the vaults.”
Bit of a buried lede here that Mayor Parker reveals that she is “most excited” to give tax breaks to developers to convert closed public schools into apartments, just as the school district whose board she appointed is getting ready to close a bunch of public schools.
Mayor Parker successfully lobbied Harrisburg to allow the city to create a 20 year tax abatement for the conversion, and demolition, of underutilized buildings to residential uses. She says an affordability component will be part of her bill next year: www.inquirer.com/real-estate/...
20-year tax abatement to help turn schools into homes may soon be legal in Philly
Buried in the state budget is a provision allowing for the new abatement. It is now up to City Council and Mayor Parker to craft city legislation to support it.
www.inquirer.com
November 22, 2025 at 3:46 PM
Bit of a buried lede here that Mayor Parker reveals that she is “most excited” to give tax breaks to developers to convert closed public schools into apartments, just as the school district whose board she appointed is getting ready to close a bunch of public schools.
Boyle represents some post-Soviet immigrant communities so I assume that’s part of what is going on.
November 21, 2025 at 8:22 PM
Boyle represents some post-Soviet immigrant communities so I assume that’s part of what is going on.
Philly’s own @repbrendanboyle.bsky.social out there voting for a right-wing Republican resolution throwing the new Democratic mayor of NYC—and many of his own constituents—under the bus. For what reason?
Handy list of Dems who need to be primaried. www.newsweek.com/full-list-of...
It rips my heart right out of my chest to see Ted Lieu's name here.
It rips my heart right out of my chest to see Ted Lieu's name here.
Full list of Democrats voting to condemn socialism as Zohran Mamdani comes to town
The House of Representatives voted on a resolution condemning socialism ahead of President Trump's meeting with Zohran Mamdani.
www.newsweek.com
November 21, 2025 at 7:55 PM
Philly’s own @repbrendanboyle.bsky.social out there voting for a right-wing Republican resolution throwing the new Democratic mayor of NYC—and many of his own constituents—under the bus. For what reason?
Going to be honest, I have a Naomi-style problem in telling apart Nuzzi, Munn, and Wilde. For some reasons Rodrigo is fine.
November 21, 2025 at 2:53 AM
Going to be honest, I have a Naomi-style problem in telling apart Nuzzi, Munn, and Wilde. For some reasons Rodrigo is fine.
Everyone loves a good white-columned imperial aesthetic!
November 20, 2025 at 10:53 PM
Everyone loves a good white-columned imperial aesthetic!
Should be a fun class, lol.
November 20, 2025 at 9:20 PM
Should be a fun class, lol.
His inspiration is almost entirely from Rome itself, which is to say, it’s not about God, but empire. No surprise then that like JD and everybody else, he’s able to so easily reject church teachings for his 30 pieces of silver!
November 20, 2025 at 9:20 PM
His inspiration is almost entirely from Rome itself, which is to say, it’s not about God, but empire. No surprise then that like JD and everybody else, he’s able to so easily reject church teachings for his 30 pieces of silver!
He talks a big game about architecture obeying theological and cardinal virtues and following Tradition, but his brief slideshow of his projects— all these giant neo-baroque white columned edifices— shows so little engagement with 2000 years of Catholicism around the world.
November 20, 2025 at 9:20 PM
He talks a big game about architecture obeying theological and cardinal virtues and following Tradition, but his brief slideshow of his projects— all these giant neo-baroque white columned edifices— shows so little engagement with 2000 years of Catholicism around the world.
The lecture is from two years ago, which is to say, before McCrery, a devout traditionalist Catholic, took a commission to essentially design a golden calf. But even as is, such a fascinating insight into the tradcath mindset when it comes to art, and how it became so susceptible to Trumpism.
November 20, 2025 at 9:20 PM
The lecture is from two years ago, which is to say, before McCrery, a devout traditionalist Catholic, took a commission to essentially design a golden calf. But even as is, such a fascinating insight into the tradcath mindset when it comes to art, and how it became so susceptible to Trumpism.
Being fair minded, I was trying to assign a contrasting reading, which is a challenge because those people tend not to articulate their ideas well. The best I got was this keynote lecture on art and virtue by James McCrery, the architect of the new White House ballroom. youtu.be/E2bPXAYErPI?...
James McCrery keynote address at the 4th Annual "Art & Virtue" Conference, Oct. 30, 2022
YouTube video by Catholic Art Institute
youtu.be
November 20, 2025 at 9:20 PM
Being fair minded, I was trying to assign a contrasting reading, which is a challenge because those people tend not to articulate their ideas well. The best I got was this keynote lecture on art and virtue by James McCrery, the architect of the new White House ballroom. youtu.be/E2bPXAYErPI?...
My seminar tomorrow is talking about modernism and neoclassicism in the Trump administration, centered around the amazing “regional car dealership rococo” essay by @katewagner.wehwalt.net. mcmansionhell.com/post/7810945...
Bonus Post: The McMansionization of the White House, or: Regional Car Dealership Rococo, a treatise
Get more from McMansion Hell on Patreon
mcmansionhell.com
November 20, 2025 at 9:20 PM
My seminar tomorrow is talking about modernism and neoclassicism in the Trump administration, centered around the amazing “regional car dealership rococo” essay by @katewagner.wehwalt.net. mcmansionhell.com/post/7810945...
Grateful (hopefully) that more people will be able to move to my neighborhood some day.
“It’s a travesty that one deep-pocketed opponent has been able to block access to housing for over 100 families in my neighborhood for years.
It’s more expensive than ever to rent or buy here, and this project would be a welcome change to its current use as a derelict warehouse.”
It’s more expensive than ever to rent or buy here, and this project would be a welcome change to its current use as a derelict warehouse.”
West Philly affordable housing project could finally advance, almost 6 years after it was proposed
A Cedar Park neighbor of a planned 104-unit affordable housing development lost a lawsuit that challenged the city's zoning change to facilitate the project.
www.inquirer.com
November 20, 2025 at 1:48 AM
Grateful (hopefully) that more people will be able to move to my neighborhood some day.
Cleaning out my daughter’s backpack and found what I can only describe as a stack of loyalty oaths she seems to have made the younger kids at afterschool sign.
November 19, 2025 at 9:58 PM
Cleaning out my daughter’s backpack and found what I can only describe as a stack of loyalty oaths she seems to have made the younger kids at afterschool sign.