They Were Better Live : Live at the Central Club Christmas, 1998 is a double live album released by Australian rock band Weddings Parties Anything

Weddings Parties Anything

Weddings Parties Anything were an Australian folk rock band formed in 1984 in Melbourne and continuing until 1998. Their name came from The Clash song and musicologist Billy Pinnell described their first album as the best Australian rock debut since Skyhooks' Living in the '70s.-Formation and...

. The recording was of the band's series of live shows at the Central Club Hotel in Richmond

Richmond, Victoria

Richmond is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 3 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Yarra...

. It was released after the band disbanded and was the band's first live album. Paul Kelly

Paul Kelly (musician)

Paul Maurice Kelly is an Australian rock music singer-songwriter, guitarist, and harmonica player. He has performed solo, and has led numerous groups, including the Dots, the Coloured Girls, and the Messengers. He has worked with other artists and groups, including associated projects Professor...

 joins the band for a rendition of his song "Laughing Boy."

The album was nominated for an ARIA Award in 1999 for 'Best Blues & Roots Album'.

Disc 1

1. "Barrett's Privateers
   Barrett's Privateers
   "Barrett's Privateers" is a folk song in the style of a sea shanty, written and performed by Canadian musician Stan Rogers, having been inspired after a song session with the Friends of Fiddler's Green at the Northern Lights Festival Boréal in Sudbury, Ontario...
   
   " (Stan Rogers
   Stan Rogers
   Stanley Allison "Stan" Rogers was a Canadian folk musician and songwriter.Rogers was noted for his rich, baritone voice and his finely crafted, traditional-sounding songs which were frequently inspired by Canadian history and the daily lives of working people, especially those from the fishing...
   
   )
2. "Away Away"
3. "Tickets in Tatts"
4. "Monday's Experts"
5. "Industrial Town"
6. "Laughing Boy
   Brendan Behan
   Brendan Francis Behan was an Irish poet, short story writer, novelist, and playwright who wrote in both Irish and English. He was also an Irish republican and a volunteer in the Irish Republican Army.-Early life:...
   
   " (Paul Kelly
   Paul Kelly (musician)
   Paul Maurice Kelly is an Australian rock music singer-songwriter, guitarist, and harmonica player. He has performed solo, and has led numerous groups, including the Dots, the Coloured Girls, and the Messengers. He has worked with other artists and groups, including associated projects Professor...
   
   )
7. "Sisters of Mercy"
8. "Hungry Years"
9. "Tilting at Windmills"
10. "Rambling Girl"
11. "Under the Clocks"
12. "Manana Manana"
13. "Decent Cup of Coffee"
14. "Father's Day"
15. "Rain in My Heart"
16. "For a Short Time"

Disc 2

1. "Wide Open Road" (David McComb
   David McComb
   David Richard McComb was an Australian rock musician. He was the singer-songwriter of the Australian band, The Triffids.-Early years in Perth:...
   
   )
2. "Knockbacks in Halifax"
3. "Grey Skies Over Collingwood" (Ian Hearn)
4. "Luckiest Man"
5. "Step in Step Out"
6. "Rosy and Grey" (Ron Hawkins
   Ron Hawkins
   Ron Hawkins is a musician from Toronto who is best known as a member of the band The Lowest of the Low, in which he is the frontman, primary songwriter, lead vocalist, and one of two guitarists...
   
   )
7. "Jolly Old Christmas Time" (Lawler)
8. "Scorn of the Women"
9. "Ladies Lounge"
10. "Roaring Days"
11. "Streets of Forbes"
12. "Sergeant Small" (Tex Morton
    Tex Morton
    Tex Morton was a pioneer of Australian country music.-Early life:At age 14 he left home to launch himself into show business...
    
    )
13. "Woman of Ireland"
14. "Tale They Won't Believe"
15. "No No Never"
16. "Leave Her Johnny"

Personnel

• Mick Thomas
• Jen Anderson
• Stephen O'Prey
• Paul Thomas
• Mark Wallace
• Michael Barclay