By Greg Ellison

(July 8, 2021) Musician Al Cook, who slaps bass for perennial lower shore rockers Tranzfusion, made a brief stop on the injured reserve list after falling and breaking his hand while slipping off stage during a rainstorm last weekend.

Tranzfusion was performing at the Ocean Pines Yacht Club on Saturday when heavy rain stopped the show.

After winding up their take on the Tom Petty tune “American Girl,” a sudden downpour halted the entertainment.

“The official story with me is that I fell and broke a bone in my right hand,” Cook said.

Cook said following the freak accident, the storm blew in and caused the show to end prematurely.

Ocean Pines Marketing and Public Relations Director Josh Davis said the crowd emitted an audible gasp as Cook stepped off stage and slipped while heading inside the Yacht Club.

“I talked to him that night,” Davis said, “and he was in good spirits,” he said.

Cook’s broken bone put the kibosh on Tranzfusion performing on Sunday but Davis said the group’s base player is adapting.

“He actually plans to try and learn his bass parts on a keyboard with his good hand,” he said.

Cook said he intends to be on board for subsequent gigs this summer.

“I have ways to work around this,” he said. “I refuse to let down the band or the fans.”

Matt Ortt Companies CEO Ralph DeAngelus said Cook’s injury was unfortunate, but that patrons could look forward to a return engagement by the band later this month.

“Tranzfusion is one of our biggest and best bands, and they’ll be back at the Yacht Club on July 23,” he said.

Unable to play a private show slated for the Fourth of July, Tranzfusion drummer Bobby Malaby opted to take in Great Train Robbery’s set at the Yacht Club.

Sipping a beer stage side on Sunday, Malaby conjectured it was his first Independence Day in four decades not pounding the skins.

DeAngelus said weather has presented challenges at times this season.

“That certainly hurt business on Saturday, but luckily we rebounded in a big way on Sunday,” he said. “Despite some bad luck weather, we’ve been able to set single-day sales records at both the Yacht Club (June 12) and the Beach Club (July 4) this summer.”