It's not quite the spirit of rock and roll they might have been used to when supporting The Rolling Stones, but even chart-topping pop stars have to abide by the noise limiter in place at a Norwich venue.

And that's why The Searchers, whose Merseybeat sound followed The Beatles in conquering the United States in the 1960s, will be performing at St Andrew's Hall on a crisp Sunday afternoon in December.

Following complaints from neighbours in 2006, the historic halls were ordered to operate a sound limiter, which is active from 8pm each day.

While the halls can host amplified music, the limiter makes it virtually impossible for amplified bands to play after that time without triggering it, while, in any event, all amplified music must stop by 10.30pm.

To ensure their show can go on without annoying the neighbours, The Searchers, whose hits include Needles And Pins, Sweets For My Sweet and Love Potion No.9, will be performing at the 14th Century halls from 5pm on Sunday, December 4.

Suffolk-based concert promoter John Hessenthaler said: 'It's a kind of experiment and compromise and hopefully we will be able to make a success of it, as we did with the show I put on with Rick Wakeman earlier this year.

'Obviously, there is the issue with the noise limiter, but Sunday afternoon is also quite a good time for age group likely to be fans of The Searchers to go to a concert.

'The Searchers have never been a noisy band, they are much more melodic than that and hopefully at the time it is it will not create too much noise for the neighbours.

'Particularly in the run up to Christmas, it might be a good time for people to come to the concert and then get a meal or a drink afterwards.'

Another matinee concert next month will see the Royal Air Force Squadronaires performing in the halls at 2.30pm on Saturday, November 12.

A city council spokesman said, 'This is a promoter St Andrews Hall has worked with before, and hosted a successful event with Rick Wakeman. This time the promoter has a range of concerts some evening and some afternoons.

'The promoter is aware of the sound limiter. The Searchers and Squadronaires are both amplified concerts and we will be monitoring the sound'.

A couple of days after their Norwich gig The Searchers will be performing in Norfolk at a time they are rather more used to. Their show at the Corn Hall in Diss on Thursday, December 8 will start at 7.30pm.

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