Dean Martin was a frustrating entertainer.

There was no problem selling out his shows. He was iconic, the ultimate crooner, making singing look as easy as breathing. He was also one of the most reliable of the headliners, always showing up on time.

It was just that he approached his live performances the same way he did his television variety series, casually and unrehearsed. He rarely finished a song. He let his other reputation, that of a heavy drinker and rambling raconteur, take over his persona so completely that jokes and antics and digressions almost always took precedence over the music. Audiences forgave him, but he never built the legions of ardent returning fans other performers did. Once was usually enough.

Now, Martin's youngest son, Ricci, has built a show around his father, "That's Amore: A Tribute to Dean Martin," and he brings it to John Ascuaga's Nugget on Friday and Saturday.

There's no denying Martin deserves the tribute. He had hit after hit – "Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime," "Memories Are Made of This," "Volare," "Houston" and "That's Amore."

He was half (Jerry Lewis the other half) of one of the biggest comedy teams in show business history. He was part of the Rat Pack and in movies such as "Ocean's Eleven" and "Robin and the Seven Hoods." He astonished everybody with his solo acting career, whether seriously in "Some Came Running" or spoofing James Bond as Matt Helm. And his appearances on television may have been unpredictable, but almost always came off as entertaining.

Ricci sings the songs and banters with his band, The Pack, just as his father always interacted with pianist Kenny Lane and band. He also shows photos of the private and public Martin during the music, talks of his father's breakup with Jerry Lewis and shows a 1980s video he made for MTV shortly before his father's death, of Dad singing "Since I Met You Baby."

The son also attempts something his father never did. He leaves the stage and enters the audience, fielding questions. Audience members feel free to ask anything, even more so now that we are in the tell-all know-all age of celebrity, and Ricci's answers are direct and often funny. He has clearly inherited his father's wit.

A few answers come as surprises. The legendary partygoer and heavy drinker, for example, hated parties and stayed home with the kids as much as possible. It seems he always did prefer "going to the couch."

Around the Silver Circle

Colin Quinn goes anywhere he wants to with his humor. He can discuss politics, celebrity, lifestyles, whatever is a hot button. His career has included "Saturday Night Live," for which he created his characters Lenny the Lion and Joe Blow, and his own series "Tough Crowd," which was created to follow Jon Stewart's "Daily Show" but never managed to keep the audience. He returns to his stand-up roots this Saturday at Harrah's Tahoe in a decidedly adult show (restricted to age 21 and over) that also features Jeremy Hotz and Jeff Burghart.

Mississippi Delta blues and country take over the Crystal Bay this week. Li'l Dave Thompson, who was influenced by his father, Sam, and his playing with the likes of Willie Foster and Eddie Cusic, plays in the Red Room at 10 p.m. Friday at a price most welcome in this economy – free. And Hellbound Glory, a band that likes to refer to its music as "scumbag country," a mix of bluegrass and outlaw, does likewise in the Red Room at 10 p.m. Saturday.

Food and drink notes: The Eldorado has opened its new $5 million buffet, decorated in cherry wood and glass, standard stainless steel pans replaced by porcelain platters, paper napkins replaced with cloth, and a dessert bar that includes a gelato station.

Also at the Eldorado, the Brew Brothers pub and microbrewery has won three 2008 North American Brewers' Association awards for their Redhead Amber Ale, Wild Card Wheat and Carano Extra.

The Reserve Wine Bar at the Grand Sierra features some special winery evenings. This month it's Catena Vineyards on Wednesday, O'Brien Estate on Friday, A-Z Winery on Oct. 24, Rex Hill on Oct. 25 and Craneford on Oct. 30.

IF YOU GO

• Ricci Martin's "That's Amore: A Tribute to Dean Martin": John Ascuaga's Nugget, Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m.; $25; (800) 648-1177 or janugget.com

• Colin Quinn: Harrah's Tahoe, Saturday at 7:30 p.m.; $25; (800) 427-7247 or www. SouthShoreRoom.com