Stars, fans gather to remember John Clarke.

Some 2000 people gathered at Melbourne Town Hall last night to pay tribute to the late and legendary John Clarke.

Organised by the Wheeler Centre, the event began with Bryan Dawe saying, “We endeavour to humbly acknowledge the depth and breadth of that gloriously coloured canvas that John painted.

“We were blessed, John and I, to have an audience who allowed the creature called Clarke and Dawe to keep breathing for 30 years. It remained until its end as much fun to perform as is allowable under the Geneva Convention.”

Gina Riley was amongst those who shared memories and paid tribute, in poetry.

Here's Gina Riley's clever poem script for John Clarke's memorial last night @wheelercentre (Pants pron. parnts) pic.twitter.com/JsyPyKVlC2

— Kaz Cooke (@reallykazcooke) July 2, 2017

Geoffrey Rush read from The Even More Complete Book of Australian Verse, Martin Flanagan from The Tournament, David Wenham from A Complete Dagg.

Sam Neill read Michael Lenuig’s tribute poem.

And Sam Neill read Michael Leunig's wonderful tribute poem. #JohnClarke @twopaddocks @wheelercentre /21 pic.twitter.com/320e2NEiey

— Katie Purvis (@katiemelb) July 2, 2017

Clarke’s Publisher Michael Heyward described him as “like a kid in the back shed making a radio set out of hair curlers and hedge clippers. The ridiculous thing was that the radio worked.”

Paul Kelly, Vika and Linda Bull and Paul Dempsey sung Kelly’s Meet Me in the Middle of the Air.

Event co-organiser Emily Harms said, “It evolved because a lot of people wanted to show their affection for John, lots of people he’s worked with in the past wanted to put something on, to show some respect to John, and the family thought the best way [to do so] was to corral people together.”

John Clarke died suddenly in April, aged 68.

JOY’s Katie Purvis has Storified moments from the evening you can read here.

Source: Fairfax