It's Tuesday, it's Mansfield and it's uninspiring from the off. The rain keeps coming with no sign of a break and I'm on my way out.

The venue is And Why Not, Mansfield's number one late bar and the night is "Acoustic Tuesdays". If you know Mansfield and Tuesdays but don’ know this place, be assured you will be shocked.

And Why Not is renowned for making an effort, daring to be different and daring to try something new including stand up comedy, psychic evenings and the legendary weekly Gay night. Shooting at the mid twenties to 40 markets, this place is as good as it gets. If you haven’t been you should try it but only if you have a taste for quality food, style and a non-threatening environment.

Tonight's not too busy, the restaurant is in an adjoining room and there are plenty of sofas to lounge in and acoustic resident Phil Ashmore is solo tonight. Usually accompanied by one or two guests he more than manages to fill the small stage, backed up by simple but quality stage lighting and ample PA system he sets to work doing what he knows best.

He's an entertainer, a gentleman and a great singer/ songwriter. Brought up on Neil Diamond and a style crossed with John Mayer and Tracy Chapman he creates a perfect hybrid of country, folk and rock & blues, but don’t be put off, there is a folk influence but this is Anti-Folk, folk music without your fingers your ears or soulless songs from an age our grandparents have forgotten. Tonights performance hit's the mark just right to lift us from the post new year hangover, as he gives us Kylie Minogue alongside Nirvana, Damien Rice alongside the Counting Crows and Men at work alongside Johnny Cash.

A voice which can croon and then swagger and spit but always with the same ethos, one man playing quality music on a guitar.

Always guilty of rambling between tunes, he seems intent on convincing us of when, where and how this tune once changed his life but its worth the wait as this shy uneasy man that stands 6 feet tall, stares into the space that separates us from him and shares a story with every person in the room.
Without his usual array of guests adding new voices, alternative tunes and the odd baseline or tambourine to twist the sound, he gets away with it and throws in a few standards such as Sweet home Alabama and the classic Space Oddity.

It’s Tuesday night and it’s raining in Mansfield but you wont get a better night than this, everything is right and everything works together to create something special.

The only disappointment is when last orders get called as you could chill here all night and dream about the weekend which has just moved one step closer.