Portage la Prairie, Manitoba is home of the World's largest Coca-Cola can.

It is also where Doc Walker, a guitar-playing threesome of Chris Thorsteinson, Dave Wasyliw and Murray Pulver, met and began their country music journey as young kids fooling around with guitars in small-town Manitoba.

They stumbled upon the name Doc Walker by accident when Thorsteinson’s good buddy, and sometimes roadie Jason Walker, forgot to bring the then sick lead singer’s cold medication to a gig. "I was like, Nice going, Doc Walker," says Thorsteinson.

Curve (released in 2001), Everyone Aboard (released in 2003) and their self titled album Doc Walker (released in 2006) have garnered them many accolades. They have won Canadian Country Music Awards, West Coast Music Awards and several JUNO Award nominations.

In support of their album Beautiful Life (released April 29, 2008), they have embarked on a 22 date cross Canada tour which brought them to Kelowna on Tuesday night.

The trademark harmonies between Thorsteinson and Wasyliw are smooth and while Pulver's vocal contributions are indispensable.

The energy was warm and positive from both the crowd and Doc Walker.

The band communicated easily with the audience. Even poking fun at the cost of living in Kelowna. They stated it was a beautiful place to visit but that they were not NHL players so they could not afford to live here.

A highlight of the evening was when they played "That’s All", which is a cover of a Genesis song that is also on their latest album.

Opening the evening was Ridley Bent who spent his youth as an army brat being raised across Canada.

He first picked up a guitar in Whistler BC when he came to the realization that a career as a professional skier was out of his reach. In in 2000 he moved to Vancouver's East Side and formally launched his musical career.

His style incorporates country, rock and hip hop influences, in a manner similar to Buck 65. Bent describes his own style as "hick hop".

With two albums to date with Blam! (released in 2005) and Buckles and Boots (released in 2007), he easily had many song choices to pull from throughout his half-hour set.

Link: Doc Walker Official Website Link: Ridley Bent Official Website Link: Castanet Gallery - coverage of concert at KCT