Tracking stars: Flea, Chris Colfer, Viola Davis

SHARE Tracking stars: Flea, Chris Colfer, Viola Davis
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Michael Peter Balzary — Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers — was among the celebrities spotted around Chicago recently. | Amy Harris/Invision/AP Photo

SEEN ON THE SCENE: Fans of Michael Peter Balzary — best known as the iconic rocker Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers — enjoyed spotting him dining at the bar at Le Colonial on Rush Street, where the Aussie-born bassist chatted about the music scene in Scotland with the restaurant’s bartender, himself a Scottish native. The Chili Peppers played United Center shows on Friday and Saturday. … Former “Glee” mainstay Chris Colfer — who has carved out another career as an author of books for middle-schoolers — will be back for an event that Anderson’s Bookshop in Naperville is presenting later this month. Colfer will be at the Wentz Concert Hall, 171 E. Chicago Ave. on the campus of North Central College in Naperville, talking about “Worlds Collide,” the conclusion to his popular “Land of Stories” series. Get tickets for the 7 p.m. July 18 event at Anderson’s Bookshop, 123 W. Jefferson. … “The Great One” himself — Wayne Gretzky — stopped by Jake’s Corner Tap, where he happily posed for photos with hockey fans. … Viola Davis, who has been in town filming “Widows” for a fellow Oscar winner, director Steve McQueen (“12 Years a Slave”), was spotted late-lunching at River Roast along the Chicago River, with some friends and young daughter Genesis. … This should be a great comedy event: The one-and-only Dick Smothers will be the guest monologist for “The Musical Armando”at iO Theatre, 8 p.m. Aug. 18, during the upcoming Chicago Musical Improv Festival. This year, Dick and his brother, Tommy Smothers, are celebrating the 50th anniversary of their groundbreaking “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour” TV show. Tickets for the iO event will be on sale soon. Go to chicagomusicalimprovfestival.com for details and updates.

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