WHO HE IS: Special Events Producer, WXPN

TIME AT PENN: 2 1/2 years

WHAT HE DOES: There’s always some event happening at ‘XPN—and Severin is right in the middle of it all. He coordinates hospitality and food for bands and guests, works to book acts, and helps out with the quarterly fund drives. He also makes sure that bands and artists performing at the Free@Noon Friday concert series arrive and go on stage in time.

THE ‘WOW’ FACTOR: A few weeks ago, the young Texan Ryan Bingham performed two shows, which Severin says just blew him away. “He just wowed the audience unbelievably,” he says. “In a way, it’s almost those types of artists who blow you away, because you’re not expecting it. ... That’s really the best surprise you get in the business.”

GETTING IN AT ‘XPN: Severin was inspired to get into producing special events after attending the gigantic Seattle music and arts festival, Bumbershoot. He moved back to his hometown of Philadelphia and applied for the ‘XPN job after his sister—a fan of the station—called Severin to urge him to apply to the special events job advertised on air.

LOOKING AHEAD: Aside from the Free@Noon series, Severin urges music lovers to clear their calendars July 10 through 13 for the XPoNential music festival. “It stared as a two-day, 12-band event at Penn’s Landing and is now a four-day, 40-band celebration at Wiggens Park in Camden,” he says.

For more information, go to www.xpn.org.