It was a small gathering of 50 Sunday night at the Maintenance Shop. A small gathering that knew where the party was happening. The few, the proud, the too hip.

San Francisco’s The Bobs, who opened for the Grateful Dead in the mid-’80s, brought lyrical wizardry and not much else to the stage.

But since The Bobs is an a cappella quartet, what more could a cult-followin’, ticket-payin’ consumer of live music want?

Well, there was a brilliant cover of They Might Be Giant’s “Particle Man.” Not to mention Matthew Bob Stull’s (mid-range horn: 130-620 Hz) swan dive during The Bobs’ special cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Bird on a Wire” which left him staring dumbfoundedly at the “pretty-colored lights” on the ceiling.

Deeper and smoother than Barry White’s rumbling bass was Richard Bob Green (woofer: 58-477 Hz). Greene played an imaginary bass during “Searchin'”.

Not only did he just play it, he slung it over his shoulders and played it behind his back. Now that’s talent.

Recent newcomer to The Bobs is Lori Bob Rivera, who replaced Janie Bob Scott. In only her third show, Rivera proved to the crowd that she was a fast learner.

Joe Bob Finetti brought new meaning to the term “human percussion.” He didn’t sound like a trumpet, he was a trumpet — and a drum machine and a screaming, distorted electric guitar during the Bobs’ encore rendition of “Purple Haze”.

Those prematurely gearing up for Valentine’s Day were given a strong dose of the Bobs’ special potion of “all love songs, all the time.”

Including “Unchain My Heart” and the hilarious “Johnny’s Room,” which told of the uncomfortable situation when a guy stays at his girlfriend’s parents’ house and has to share a room with stinky little brother Johnny.

If you must know, he got caught trying to sneak into his girlfriend’s bedroom at 2 a.m. Busted!

The Bobs were cynical. The Bobs were a riot. The Bobs were courteous. For those who couldn’t make it to the show, the group even reeled off the number of its 24-hour hotline, 510-The-Poop.