Normally, free time would entail a nap, some leisure reading, or Facebook stalking. However, when Chris Peters realized he had some free time on his hands, he decided to start a TV show.

Peters created and hosts The Underground TV, an all-access show that gives local, unsigned bands the opportunity to record two videos and an interview that will be broadcast in 22 counties in central Pennsylvania, Maryland and West Virginia.

"It's just a little program we put together to try to get bands exposure on TV because there really isn't a lot happening around here," Peters said. "There isn't much of a music scene, so we are trying to make the scene."

One of Peters' stops in his quest to develop a local music scene will be right here in Happy Valley. Dragon Fire, Suicide Switch, Choking Faith and 4 Days Dirty will play at 9:30 tonight at the Crowbar, 420 E. College Ave.

The Underground TV's second season will premiere at 6 p.m. September 29 on WWCP Fox 8.

Jason Mittan, the lead singer of Choking Faith, has modest expectations for the show. "The show only airs in a few neighboring counties so I'm not expecting to get a record deal out of it," Mittan said. "I just hope it brings more people out to our shows."

Bands from all over the Northeast have been featured on The Underground TV, including State College favorites, The Nightcrawlers. However, the bands featured tonight will be heavy metal.

"We are a very aggressive, metal band," Mittan said. "There will not be a lot of singing, just a lot of pissing, moaning and whining."

Peters said that although they have had a variety of bands on the show, people assume the show is metal-oriented because those are the bands that get in touch with him. "We have actually had various types of music on the show," Peters said. "But it has been primarily heavy."

Regardless of the genre, Peters' favorite aspect of the show is getting to meet all of the bands. "I love the editing and the video work, but what I really love is meeting all of these new bands," Peters said. "We have developed some great friendships with some of the guys we have worked with on the show."

Co-host Kathy Butler, who Peters described as "the looks of the show," agreed. "My favorite thing about doing the show is all of the people I meet," Butler said. "Not just all of the bands, but just all of the different places we go to do the shows and all of the people we meet there."

Ironically, Butler's least favorite aspect of the show is the hosting. "You would think it would be easy to just stand up there and rattle things off, but Chris and I will stand there and stutter through three sentences," Butler said. "It can end up taking 45 minutes to film a 10-minute scene."

Peters and Butler have high hopes for the second season of The Underground TV and both hope that this season they can reach out to more viewers.

"Last season the number of viewers picked up towards [the] end, but this year we are hoping for even more viewers," Butler said. "I also expect there to be a better variety of bands to attract different viewers."

Peters said it is important to support local music by watching the show.

"Pay attention to some of these bands," Peters said. "Because there are some really awesome bands that no one will ever know about unless people pay attention. After all, it doesn't cost anything to turn on the TV."