HERRIMAN, Utah, Feb 26, 2025 (Gephardt Daily) — The crowds that come to Redemption Bar & Grill on nights DJ Deuce is playing the downstairs entertainment stage have no idea how hard he works to make the music flow so seamlessly.
That’s because he’s the ultimate mixmaster, a man studied in his art.
Nor do the dancers know how satisfying “Deuce” — also known as Derek Sherer — finds the whole process of picking songs that will work together despite genre contrast, to inspire nostalgic memories, or introduce new melodies that local radio stations won’t start playing for months.
A top goal of Sherer’s is to get people there out of their chairs and onto the dance floor. An even higher goal? Getting people moving and grooving to music they would never expect to like.
“It’s really fun when you get some really serious, older guy, who you might not expect to sing along, to sing along to Taylor Swift,” Sherer said. “A lot of DJs get a little excited about that. I know I do.”
Check out Sherer/ DJ Deuce Saturday at Herriman’s Redemption Bar & Grill, a 21+ venue where he’s a patron and staff favorite, and a regular on the live entertainment schedule. He will be on hand Saturday, March 1, with special guest Sammie Vegas. The music starts at 9 p.m. at the bar, at 3517 W. Maradona Drive, in Herriman.
Sherer was a young teen when he first began making mix tapes, figuring out which songs made good lead-ins to the next.
“I was really always just drawn to music, and as I got a little bit older, I started playing around like turntables, just kind of like mixing my own songs together, kind of making my own songs started with that really started getting more involved in the craft of it, the understanding all the ins and outs of DJing,” Sherer said.
“And I had a buddy who was a DJ also, he taught me pretty much the basics, and then I just pretty much absorbed myself into the life of it, studying everything, doing a lot of research, watching videos, going out, watching other DJs.”
He’s been a professional for more than 15 years now, and believes most people would never imagine the research that goes into being good at the DJ job.
“I know a lot of people think that we just kind of show up and press play,” he said, with a laugh. “I’ve got to kind of explain why my pricing is as high as it is to some people. There’s a lot that goes into it. The cost of the equipment is very, very expensive in itself. The hours that go behind getting music going, the travel. The DJs are always the last ones to leave.
“It’s not as easy as a lot of people think, but for me, it’s a very fun job. But people get confused and think it’s not work. It’s still very much work. And there’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes.”
Sherer also has an unrelated day job, important for the stability of a single father with a young teen daughter.
And she gets perks, too, by the way.
“I DJ all her school dances, so that’s really cool,” he said. “She became the popular kid in school right away, since her dad came in and started DJing her dances. She really seems to enjoy having me there, and the other kids really like it also. And I do all those dances at her school for free.”
What makes him popular with fans in the community is that he can handle any genre of music.
“Many DJs get really drawn to one specific genre, so that’s all they’ll play. I mean, I play everything from Latin music to R&B, to country, to rock ‘n’ roll, to oldies to Top 40 to hip hop to electronic dance music, all in one night. Redemption is actually one of my favorite bars, because I’m able to play pretty much every range of music, every genre.
“You’re basically just trying to create a night out of music, meaning putting old songs into new songs. I always like to do what DJs called ‘break’ records, introducing new songs that people don’t hear on the radio that I have found, that I feel kind of go together really well with other music. So my research just comes really based off of looking into music, seeing what’s new, what’s upcoming, music that people are drawn to.
“I’ll start downloading, but it’s really reading the crowd. I think it’s a big thing, researching which bars you’re going into, which events, which clubs, wherever you’re going, you kind of have to tailor the nights to that particular area.”
Sherer is Redemption Bar & Grill’s resident DJ, appearing once or more a month for the past three years.
“I absolutely love the place. There’s, I mean, I can’t say enough great things about Redemption. I’ve been really close to the owners for quite some time, and to the staff, all the way from security to the bar managers. We’ve all gained relationships over time.”
And the patrons?
“The crowd is very nice. They’re very receptive. But if they don’t like the music you’re playing, they’ll let you know. The bar has every demographic, so you’ll get some 20-year-olds in there, but then you also have 50- or 60-year-olds in there. So I mean, it’s a very wide range.”
Sherer can play country music, Latin, hip-hop and rock, and make the flow seem natural and cohesive.
“I’m a DJ who really enjoys challenges.”
And he’s prepared.
“When researching different music, different artists, different producers, I’ve been able to find a lot of music before it touches the radio. So personally, throughout my DJ career, I’ve broke a lot of records. I’ve educated a lot of people on some music, and played songs that haven’t come out on the radio for months.”
When an amazing new song does start getting radio play, fans will “discover it,” and will start asking if he has it to play, Sherer said.
“And I’m like, ‘I’ve been playing the song for months.'”
And, on Another Note, The Swinging Lights
Looking to start your weekend a night earlier so you can enjoy two nights of entertainment? Check out a Friday night concert by The Swinging Lights, also at Redemption Bar & Grill.
Read more about the country band here.
Redemption’s grill offerings and drink specials are varied enough to support different nights of food and fun before the distinctively different acts.
Redemption Bar & Grill is a proud sponsor of Gephardt Daily and supporter of independent local journalism in Utah.
