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.