Styx incorporates Philly bus fire into concert tour

STYX is milking their Philly tour-stop hiccup.

Earlier this month, two of the classic rockers' tour buses caught fire while they were parked in Northern Liberties on the day of their concert with Foreigner at Camden's Susquehanna Bank Center. Thankfully, no one was hurt.

But why not turn some classic-rock lemons into classic-rock lemonade?

I hear that the band is now incorporating the incident into a cover of the Doors' "Light My Fire," including at a recent tour stop in Minneapolis.

At least they've got a sense of humor about the whole thing that led to a funny tour-bus moment.

Domo arigato, random bad luck.

* In other local news for the WMGK set, hometown hero Todd Rundgren is set to announce today that he'll hit up the Keswick Theatre (291 N. Keswick Ave., Glenside) on Oct. 29. Tickets go on sale at noon Friday through KeswickTheatre.com, AXS.com, at the Keswick box office or by calling 215-572-7650.

Philly-born screenwriter David Bar Katz will pen the next project for star Jason Bateman ("Arrested Development," "Identity Thief"). This will be Bateman's second directorial project, after "Bad Words."

The comedy will center on two undercover FBI agents who fall in love and decide to use their nuptials to ensnare the mob.

Katz was in the news earlier this year after he reportedly found the body of actor Philip Seymour Hoffman, who overdosed in his New York apartment. (See Tattle, Page 18, for news on Hoffman's will.)

* Speaking of Katz, his dad, Harry Jay Katz, told me that he and Sylvester Stallone have been sending all the good vibes to former Philadelphian Frank Stallone, who entered the Betty Ford Center for alcohol abuse earlier this month. I hear that Stallone is on the mend.

See some cameras around town this week? They could belong to the National Geographic Channel's "Brain Games." Host Jason Silva and company will be set up at the Franklin Institute (222 N. 20th St.) and Independence Mall throughout the week, performing experiments meant to mess with your mind and show you how the brain works. The latter spot makes particular sense: The Franklin Institute currently has an exhibit about the brain.

But I also hear that cameras from NBC's reality show "The Voice" are shooting footage (in the biz, they call it b-roll) around Independence Mall. Since the singing competition (judged, in part, by the recently wed Adam Levine) doesn't have mobile auditions like "American Idol," could this mean that someone making it through to next season's live rounds is from our fair city? Last season, Marlton, N.J.'s Christina Grimmie finished in third place.

According to NBC, the seventh season premieres Sept. 22 with judge Levine, BFF Blake Shelton and new additions Gwen Stefani and Pharrell Williams.

Reporter Jenn Bernstein left CBS3 after a short tenure, as you surely read in my column, but now I know where she's going. Bernstein will return to her old Fox station in Connecticut, her home state. She'll anchor the 4 p.m. newscast and cover politics.

Helium Comedy Club is hosting its ninth annual Philly's Phunniest competition. The semifinals begin tonight with judges Jay Holowach, from the Comedy, Food, Sports podcast, and Preston and Steve's Steve Morrison. But wouldn't you know it? I'm judging tomorrow's second preliminary round with Comedy, Food, Sports' Shelton Marchman. There are sets at 7:30 and 10 p.m. today and tomorrow. Come say hi!

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