Scott Windsor, the lead singer of rock band The Umbrellas, is simple, soft spoken, and humble. At first glance he might not fit the mold of a "rock star, " but his band's hit song "The City Lights" has found widespread exposure after being featured on the television shows "Grey's Anatomy" and "Alias."

In recent days, Windsor might easily be found strolling down Main Street or around Campus Corner. Formerly a resident of California, the Umbrellas' frontman now lives in Norman. Windsor gave up the California sun for a small-scaled college town in a quest for inspiration.

"I kind of needed a break from California," Windsor said. "Now that I'm here, I think I might stay, because I like it here. I really like the simplicity of it."

Windsor -- along with his band -- will be performing at The Deli, 309 White St., tonight with the Hero Factor.

Umbrellas performance

The Umbrellas will play tonight at The Deli, 309 White St.

o Open for ages 21 and up

o The concert will start at 10 p.m.

o The Hero Factor will be the opening band

Windsor said his main impetus for coming to Norman was to escape the fast-paced life of California and focus on writing and recording. He's been spending his days reading, writing and brainstorming for the new Umbrellas album, which is set to be recorded in Lawrence, Kan., in April, with the goal of an August release.

The Umbrellas aren't about fancy laser shows or elaborate stage shows, as Windsor has worked to make his music come as close to "real" as possible. The band has adopted an indie aesthetic, often finding common ground with fans of bands like The Postal Service, Acceptance and the Format.

Windsor draws influences from a variety of music, particularly Leslie Fiest of the Broken Social Scene and the new Death Cab For a Cutie album as of late.

Morgan Vaughan, university college freshman, enjoys The Umbrellas because of the band's authenticity.

"They have a slow tempo that isn't fast paced that attracts to me to them," she said. "The lyrics are easy to relate to. It's music that you can chill out to."

Windsor is originally from St. Louis, and attended college at Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn. There, his roommate was Josh Wright, a Norman native. Wright was friendly with members of the band the Hero Factor, and introduced Windsor to the guys, who instantly hit it off.

At the time, Windsor had his own solo project called the Lyndsay Diaries, which released a pair of albums and an EP on the Militia Group label between 2001 and 2004. His first album under the Lyndsay Diaries name, "Remember the Memories," was recorded in Norman, and was co-produced by Chad Copelin, who would later become the Umbrellas' keyboardist.

"I had a great experience working with Scott on the record in the studio," said Copelin. "We finished half of the songs in the studio by just throwing out ideas. It was fast but creative, which is hard to do."

Eventually, Windsor moved to California and started The Umbrellas, and released the band's eponymous debut last spring. The band has featured a rotating lineup since its creation, which Windsor describes as "an open door for different musicians" to play with him. "Umbrellas" was recorded with members of the Hero Factor: Nathan Price, Chad Copelin, and Eric Arndt.

"The Hero Factor and I will always be friends and musicians with Scott," said Copelin. "But as far as becoming permanent Umbrellas, we have other things in our schedules we need to deal with. But we will always play together when we can."

Tonight's show at The Deli will be the first date on a joint tour between the two bands that will cover Oklahoma and Texas.
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