In a statement made on a status on his personal Facebook profile, Victoria House Concert B founder, and one of the biggest supporters of local music, Andy Briggs announced, “I have been diagnosed with a significant tumour in my head. I have known my body well and suspected things to be astray for a while and slowed my life. I apologise now for times that I could not commit to things. Thanks my friends for understanding. I begin my journey and unknown fate of risks and unknowns and leave it in the hands of the doctors that will now consume me.”
In a follow up post from Kingston, Ontario made Thursday Briggs announced that radiation treatment will not be an option. Instead, doctors will “bore a hole through the ear and then the skull in the next treatment; the loss of hearing the better of two evils.” The procedure will likely take place in mid-March
Andy launched Victoria House Concert B in 2007 after he saw Tom Hooper of The Grapes of Wrath perform at a local bar and invited him to perform at his house. Since then he has hosted concerts featuring John Mann of Spirit of The West, Neil Osborne of 54-40, Randy Bachman, and provided a venue for a large number of local and international independent musicians at his Fernwood home. 100% of admission price always went directly to the artists and some touring artists even stayed at his home. The house concerts offered fans an intimate setting to experience live music and interact with an artist both during and after sets.
In November of 2016 the house concerts were suspended due to a neighbour complaining to the City of Victoria’s bylaw office. In 2017 the house concerts moved to Fort Tectoria.
His dedication and support for both music in Victoria and the community in general has been astronomical.
Since his announcement of his diagnosis on Facebook Monday evening there has been a massive outpouring of messages of love and support.
We here in the Victoria Music Scene wish Andy a speedy recovery. An entire community is pulling for you.
