LAPLACE — Since 2002 Calvin Berry III’s Master’s Touch DrumLine has been enthralling audiences throughout the New Orleans area with its precision percussion and stylish step performances.

The young men and women, the majority of whom are from St. John the Baptist Parish, have performed at local civic events, weddings, parades and funerals. They have been invited to perform at several big name corporate and sporting events, and even became the Official DrumLine of the New Orleans Pelicans with regular halftime shows and special appearances.

But back on its home turf in LaPlace, The Master’s Touch is rubbing some of its neighbors the wrong way.

Since September, the group has held a weekly practice from 5:30 to 8 p.m. every Monday at a business building on U.S. 51.

Berry says St. John Parish Sheriff’s deputies have been sent to shut down the sessions nearly half a dozen times because of noise complaints.

“It started about two weeks after we moved here,” said Berry, a Destrehan native who started his school as a way to help keep kids out of trouble by providing discipline through music.

After losing one practice studio to Hurricane Isaac and another to poor maintenance by its owner, Berry thought he had found the perfect new home for his students in the roomy metal building along the commercial highway.

There was a big warehouse space for the 70 students to spread out, an office to conduct business in the front and another room for private drum lessons for children and adults.

Better still, there were auto repair shops on either side and nothing but a canal in the back. On the other side of the canal is an upscale neighborhood, however, and somewhere in it is at least one resident who doesn’t like the noise 70 or so drummers can produce.

“They say the noise decibels are too high and we have to shut it down,” Berry said. “It’s too loud.”

Berry said he has tried not to disturb the peace. He and his wife, Devin, looked into soundproofing the studio but that was too expensive. The last two weeks they had the students practice in front of the building, closer to the highway. All went well last week but police were called again this week.

“I even had the kids play and drove over to the neighborhood and went around asking people if it was too loud,” he said. “You could hear it, but it wasn’t that loud. Not one person gave a bad report. They were all outside, drinking and enjoying it. There’s just somebody over there who just really doesn’t want it because they keep calling the cops over and over again.”

It has turned into a big headache for Berry, who is actively looking for a new studio in the area, but may have to relocate to Kenner.

“We need our own space where we can be left alone,” he said. “Where we’re not bothering the other folks.”

Berry said he had another, building in Reserve lined up. Police came out with a decibel meter and determined the drumming was below the acceptable noise levels. At the last minute, however, the building failed inspection.

“That canceled that,” he said.

Berry said he knows he has support for his group. Even Sheriff Mike Tregre is a fan. After hearing of Berry’s plight, Tregre helped arrange for the ensemble to practice at Regala Gym for the time being.

“This is for the kids,” Tregre said. “They represent St. John Parish on a very high level. We need more things like that. We did have a noise issue and now we’re trying to solve the problem. It’s not a major crime but it is something we have to address. It’s all about the kids. I think everybody wanted the kids to be able to perform and practice.”