Josh Venable
Josh Venable (born March 31) is a Radio personality currently heard on Z104.5 in Tulsa. Venable is best known for hosting The Adventure Club on 102.1 The Edge in Dallas.
"The Adventure Club" aired off and on on both KYSR and KDGE. Currently it is broadcast on KDGE from 8P-11P CST Sunday nights. The show has been responsible for breaking Texas bands such as Old 97's and The Polyphonic Spree as well as internationally recognized bands such as Weezer, Coldplay, and Oasis. The Adventure Club plays a mix of American and British indie rock, local, punk and classic alternative music.
Career
Given an intern position by George Gimarc while still in high school, Venable worked his way up to helping out of shows like "The Adventure Club" and The Retro Show. When the original host of The Adventure Club (Alex Luke) left to go work in St. Louis, Venable was offered the hosting job in 1994. Too inexperienced to host alone, he asked fellow KDGE employee Keven McAlister to co-host. Most shows contained a healthy dose of bickering. McAlister left the show in 1997 to move to LA and work in film. Recently he has directed the feature You're Gonna Miss Me as well as music videos for Spoon and Old 97's.
While doing The Adventure Club on Sunday nights, Venable also worked weekend shifts, the dreaded overnight position and nights from 7P-12A.
He was promoted to Music Director at 102.1 The Edge in 2006
In 2007, Clear Channel laid Venable off at 102.1 The Edge due to budget constraints. [1] He quickly found a job at 98.7FM KYSR in Los Angeles doing afternoon drive from 2P-7P. In February 2008, KDGE rehired Venable to do nights remotely from Los Angeles. The Adventure Club was also brought back in July 2008. He later switched to the 10A-2P shift in Dallas. Venable was promoted to Music Director of KYSR in 2009.
Venable attended Grapevine High School and the University Of North Texas. His favorite bands include The Smiths, The Cure, R.E.M. and Bruce Springsteen. He and members of the bands The Crash That Took Me and Here, In Arms perform as a Springsteen tribute band once a year. They are called Nightmare On E Street. Venable is known for bashing bands he dislikes on the air and often discussing aspects of his personal life many disc jockeys shy away from.
Josh was given a shout out from Coldplay onstage in Dallas on the X&Y tour
It was announced in July 2011 that Venable was being promoted to Program Director of KDGE
After being laid off again in December 2012, Venable started a music blog called A Wide Open Space www.awideopenspace.com.
Venable stated many times on the radio how he wished he was a rock star so it should come as no surprise that he has sung in at least two bands. Both have been tribute/cover bands dedicated to Bruce Springsteen and The Smiths.
In August 2013, Venable was hired by Tulsa alternative rock station KMYZ as program director and afternoon personality.
In 2015 Venable moved to the morning show at KMYZ
On-air schedule
- 104.5 KMYZ, Tulsa, 2P-7P
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Dallas Observer Music Awards | Best Radio Program That Plays Local Music |
| 1997 | Fort Worth Weekly | Best Local Radio Show Staff Choice |
| 1997 | Dallas Observer Music Awards | Radio Program That Features Local Music: "the Adventure Club," KDGE 94.5 FM |
| 1998 | Dallas Observer Music Awards | Best DJ In Dallas Critic's Choice |
| 1998 | Dallas Observer Music Awards | Radio Program/Local Music: "The Adventure Club," KDGE-FM (94.5) |
| 1999 | Fort Worth Weekly | Best Local Radio Show Staff Choice |
| 2001 | Dallas Observer Music Awards | Best Radio Program That Plays Local Music |
| 2002 | Dallas Observer Music Awards | Radio Program That Plays Local Music "The Adventure Club" KDGE 94.5FM |
| 2003 | Dallas Observer Music Awards | Radio Program That Plays Local Music "The Adventure Club" KDGE 94.5FM |
| 2004 | Dallas Observer Music Awards | Radio Program That Plays Local Music "The Adventure Club" KDGE 94.5FM |
| 2005 | Dallas Observer Music Awards | Radio Program That Plays Local Music "The Adventure Club" KDGE 94.5FM |
| 2005 | FW Weekly 2005 Best Of The West Issue | Best Radio DJ Staff choice: Josh Venable, KDGE/102.1-FM The Edge |
| 2005 | FW Weekly 2005 Best Of The West Issue | Best Radio Show Staff choice: “The Adventure Club,” KDGE/102.1-FM The Edge |
| 2006 | Dallas Observer Music Awards | Best Radio Show That Plays Local Music "The Adventure Club", 102.1 The Edge |
| 2007 | Dallas Observer Awards | Best Radio Show That Plays Local Music "The Adventure Club", 102.1 The Edge |