Play It Again

I used to play guitar. Badly, but I loved it.

Regular readers will have noticed that From Berko has something of a soft spot for music. This week's events section is well-stocked again: Wrong Jovi on Friday, the Remi Harris Hot Club Trio on Saturday, Choose George on Sunday. It's a good week to be in Berko if you like live music. It's also a good week to think about where that love of music comes from and who gets access to it in the first place.

Berkhamsted Rotary, in partnership with Dacorum Music School, are building a Musical Instrument Library of donated instruments to be made available to local young people aged 8–16 who want to learn but can't afford to buy their own.

A decent beginner violin starts at £80, a trumpet more, a cello considerably more. For plenty of families, that can be the end of the conversation. The library is designed to change that. They'll repair instruments that are tired or incomplete, so nothing gets turned away.

The same stall on Saturday is also collecting old hand tools — woodwork, metalwork, construction and motor maintenance tools — for refurbishment and donation to artisans in Africa through Tools for Self Reliance. Tools that are redundant here can give someone elsewhere the means to earn a living. Power tools go to WorkAid. They'll collect from you if needed — 01442 871536.

Drop off on the High Street this Saturday, 8am–2pm. For instrument donations, call Jim Gregory on 07712 792266.

If only they could fix my poor technique.

14 Apr | Northchurch Social Centre | 14:00 - 15:30 | Community Fridge — open to all, take what you need from a range of food donated by local sources and supermarkets

14 Apr | The Highwayman | 19:30 | Quiz Night

14 Apr | Berkhamsted Civic Centre | 20:00 | I'm Still Here (15) — presented by the Berkhamsted Film Society, Walter Salles' acclaimed Brazilian drama about a woman who must reinvent herself after her politician husband is disappeared by the military dictatorship | Details

15 Apr | Village Hall, Potten End | 10:30 | Brave New World — Russel Nash explores the transformative role of creativity in rebuilding post-war society and how the arts reshaped Britain after the conflict | Details

15 Apr | Berkhamsted Library | 15:45 - 16:45 | Lego Club — fun challenges building problem-solving skills, spatial awareness, and creative thinking. Ages 5–11

15 Apr | The Crystal Palace | 19:30 | Quiz Night

16 Apr | The Kings Arms | 10:00 - 13:00 | Valuation Day — free expert assessments of jewellery, watches, collectables, and antiques

16 Apr | Blues Bar, Tring | 19:00 | Roberto Picazo Band — live blues at Tring Park Cricket Club, doors 19:00, band on at 20:00 | Details

16 Apr | Centenary Theatre | 19:30 | An Audience with Roman Kemp — a one-night-only evening with Old Berkhamstedian, BBC broadcaster and mental health advocate Roman Kemp | Details

17 Apr | Mad Squirrel | 19:30 - 21:30 | Ellis & Green — a lively duo harmonising their way through familiar favourites for all ages

17 Apr | Berkhamsted Civic Centre | 19:30 - 22:00 | Wrong Jovi — widely regarded as the best Bon Jovi tribute band in the world | Details

18 Apr | High Street | 08:00 - 14:00 | Berkhamsted Rotary Market Stall — bring old and unwanted hand tools for refurbishment, or musical instruments for the Berkhamsted Musical Instrument Library | Details

18 Apr | Berkhamsted Castle | 09:00 | Chiltern Ridge Classic 50K — 400 runners set off from the castle on a 50K trail race through Ashridge, Ivinghoe Beacon, Coombe Hill and Whiteleaf, finishing in Wendover | Details

18 Apr | Nash Harris Dining Hall, Berkhamsted School | 19:00 | Pepper Quiz Night 2026 — the legendary annual quiz returns. Round up a team of up to 8 and take on the challenge to become Pepper Quiz champion for 2026 | Details

18 Apr | Berkhamsted Civic Centre | 20:00 - 22:30 | Remi Harris Hot Club Trio — presented by Berkhamsted Jazz Society, one of the UK's most exciting guitarists leads a dynamic trio through gypsy jazz, blues, and original compositions | Details

19 Apr | High Street | 10:00 - 14:00 | Berkhamsted Farmers' Market

19 Apr | The Vyne Theatre | 18:30 | NT Live: All My Sons — Bryan Cranston and Marianne Jean-Baptiste in Ivo Van Hove's five-star West End production of Arthur Miller's classic, filmed live from the stage | Details

19 Apr | Berkhamsted Civic Centre | 19:30 - 22:15 | Choose George – Celebrating George Michael — back by popular demand for 2026, Steve Mitchell takes you from early Wham! right through to George Michael's later catalogue | Details

20 Apr | The Bull | 19:00 | Quiz Night — £12pp inc. food at half time, prizes to be won (£2 per head goes to Mind Mental Health)

20 Apr | Berkhamsted Civic Centre | 20:00 | Vermiglio (15) — presented by Berkhamsted Film Society, a quietly devastating Italian period drama set in a remote 1944 mountain village, where a wartime deserter's arrival disrupts a close-knit community | Details

If you want to tell us (and other locals!) about something happening, use this form!

17 Apr | The Rex | 19:30 | Project Hail Mary (12A)

Ryan Gosling stars in the hotly anticipated adaptation of Andy Weir's bestselling sci-fi novel about a lone astronaut who wakes up millions of miles from Earth and must save it.

15 Apr | Berkhamsted FC | Ladies | 14:00 KO (h) | vs. Stotfold Women

18 Apr | Berkhamsted FC | Men's First Team | 15:00 KO (a) | vs. Farnham Town

18 Apr | Berkhamsted FC | Development | 15:00 KO (h) | vs. Hartley Wintney Development

19 Apr | Berkhamsted FC | Ladies | 14:00 KO (h) | vs. Ampthill Town Ladies

That's it for this week.

If you spotted something useful, do pass it on.

And if there's an instrument somewhere in the house that hasn't seen the light in a while, this Saturday’s its encore.

— from Berko.