Fact #67918

Johnny Black (audience) : The latest incarnation of local guitar heroes, the Doherty brothers, is Hitchmo, a three piece power-rock unit. The tiny room at the Southgate was jammed to the rafters to catch this, just their second live gig, and the atmosphere of excited anticipation was palpable. The Dohertys have been around the Devizes scene since schooldays, clearly both gifted as players, but restlessly shifting from one format to another. With Hitchmo, they seem to have made a decision to focus more on songs, pushing Dave Doherty’s crowd-pleasing guitar fireworks into a more supportive role, rather than being the focus of the band. It works a treat because now that they’re writing songs with catchy hooks, such as the relentlessly riffy Fade In Time, Dave’s tight, sharp guitar solos arrive as an added bonus.