A few short years ago, the members of local band Pookey Bleum decided to call it quits. After four albums and a short-lived five years in existence, the band announced that the band was finished and would no longer be playing shows.

But on Tuesday, Pookey’s power-pop poetry will fill the Maintenance Shop once again.

“We are playing again because we love the M-Shop,” says lead singer and guitarist Aaron Hefley. “I miss playing and I felt like playing again. Plus, I haven’t started another band yet.”

Since the band’s demise, the members of Pookey Bleum have pursued other interests. Hefley and guitarist Pat Fleming became more involved in developing Bi-Fi Records as a notable label in the Midwest.

Bass player Melissa Sorbo works at Principal Financial Group in Des Moines. Drummer Jeremy Johnson is engaged to be married and works at Hastings Entertainment, 620 Lincoln Way. Fleming is also a guitarist for another Bi-Fi band, Poison Control Center.

In addition to the M-Shop performance, the band will also be releasing a new nine-song EP Tuesday.

“The EP will have two brand-new songs,” Hefley says. “It will also have stuff that didn’t make the cut for our other albums. It only costs five bucks, so it’s pretty reasonable.”

Hefley says the EP is being released for personal reasons.

“I had more music that I wanted to put out,” he says.

Hefley says the band broke up because some of the band members were not willing to “take the band to the next level.

“We broke up because we were tired of working around everyone’s schedules,” he says. “I was ready to make it a career. Two of the members were into it and two were not.”

Jordan Mayland, lead singer and guitarist for the now-defunct local band Keepers of the Carpet, says Pookey Bleum’s live shows were legendary in the band’s heyday.

“[Pookey Bleum] were awesome live,” Mayland says. “[Hefley] has an excellent grasp for pop music and adds a darker edge to his songs. They are kind of quirky. Pat’s stage antics add a lot to the show, also.”

Mayland, whose band was also one of Bi Fi Records’ earliest artists, says Pookey Bleum made an important impact on local music in Ames.

“They are definitely an important part of the scene,” he says. “They have helped out a lot of other bands.”

Although Tuesday’s show marks a rare appearance of the band, Hefley says he is hesitant to announce Pookey as officially disbanded.

“I’d be reluctant to say this is the end,” he says. “I’ve said that before and we ended up playing more shows.

“We are all staying around so it wouldn’t be a problem if we wanted to play a show.”

Who: Pookey Bleum

Where: M-Shop

When: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday

Cost: $4 students, $5 public