Mark and Rusty enjoyed a packed house (photos)

It was standing room only at The Pub in Algoma's Water Tower Inn Saturday night.

Music aficionados from across the area gathered to join Rusty McCarthy and Mark Dunn in celebrating their latest releases.

The tranquil blend of folk, roots and country that permeates Dunn's new eight-song EP Thursday's Monster kicked the evening off, effectively warming up the dance floor.

Following a brief intermission, during which the merch table was kept busy and Dunn was spotted signing a few autographs, McCarthy closed the night with his signature blues rock sound.

Nowhere Close, McCarthy's follow-up to his 2007 release Dirty River, runs the blues gambit through 17 skillful tracks.

With high spirits, a heavy dose of humour and a bit of help from Ed Young (drums), Lindsay Pugh (guitar, bass) and Lynne Reville (keys, flute, sax, vocals), Dunn and McCarthy created a place where folk is never boring and listeners welcome the blues.

To learn more about Rusty McCarthy, click here

To hear samples of Mark Dunn's work, visit him at MySpace