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I've always regarded The Aziz as being probably the top curry house on Cowley Road. Last night, however, they proved really disappointing.

The service was really rather bad - both overly attentive and intrusive. Also somewhat disorganised, as three separate people tried to take the an order for "drinks or poppadums?"

I ordered a sweet lassi - and when it turned up, it was horrible. I know there's a certain amount of variation in how a lassi tastes, but this was overwhelmingly flavoured with "burnt". I don't know if preparing a lassi involves heating at any stage (anyone know?), but it was the only explanation I could think of.

Overcoming my inherent Englishness, I complained to a waiter about it. He listened as he cleared dishes off the table, then left without saying anything - I assumed to sort something out. When he brought the main course, there was an unexpected side-dish: "complimentary vegetables on the house" he muttered. Whether this was related to the lassi was unclear - it was never mentioned again, and the lassi appeared on the bill. I didn't drink it. I didn't tip them, either.

My curry was nice enough. Not outstanding, and the rice wasn't that great. Think I'll be avoiding The Aziz in future.

Escaping from inferior curry houses, we headed on down to the Zodiac to see Tim Booth and The Individuals. To all you saying "Who?", Booth was the singer with James.

But don't hold that against him. He's rather a good songwriter, and a very entertaining performer in his own right. However, it did dawn on me very early in the gig that he looks extremely like Hugh (to people who go to Intrusion: yes, that Hugh). Partly it's the shaved head, the shape of the face, and being very thin. Mostly, though, it's the dancing style. Yes, really :) Right down to the ability to dance between the knees and the navel whilst keeping the rest of your body still.

But don't hold that against him either.

He introduced his band members - and indeed handed over to a couple of them to do a song without him - describing them as "The Individuals". They're all musicians in their own right, and he advertised those that were releasing albums of their own. Those on stage seemed cheerful: swapping instruments with each other for different songs, making rude remarks about each other and generally offering attention to whoever was solo-ing at the time. It's a while since I've seen such an obvious (apparent) friendly rapport on stage.

I'm not actually familiar with Booth's solo stuff (he was touring to promote a new album), so can't really offer much commentary on what was performed. So, to me it was an interesting gig, of good songs and fine individual performances. Each instrument seemed to be noteworthy in its own right - particularly some of the bass lines, and the drums - while still fitting in to make a rounded, balanced sound.

And in the whole set, he did (I think) one James song, and it was Sometimes, which I think is allowable. When an audience member yelled "Do some more James", he looked slightly quizzical and said "Do some more who ? No." Later, he went into an extended waffle about performers moving on, and that this was the music he was currently playing, and it was different to James, and next time he plays Oxford it might be different again. Which I think is eminently fair.

The gig does, however, get the award for the first attempt I've seen this millennium to get anyone to take a melodica seriously.