With a black T-shirt reading, “Cancer is stupid,” Nikki Williams was all smiles as she watched several people come into Otto’s for an event put together entirely for her.

“I’m overwhelmed at the amazing job they’ve done,” she said, sitting at the downstairs bar at Otto’s Underground.

Nikki, who worked for NIU’s media services, was diagnosed with choriocarcinoma, a form of germ cell tumors, in June of this year.

While she was going through chemotherapy, her boyfriend Tom Chennell, rhythm guitarist for the band The New Times Romans began organizing a benefit show for her with his brother, and The New Times Romans bass player, Brian Chennell.

They began putting together the “Rock Out 2 Knock Out Cancer” benefit show, which happened Friday, Sept. 14 at Otto’s Underground, soon after learning of Nikki’s diagnosis.

“We really wanted to do something [for Nikki],” said Brian, also wearing his “Cancer is stupid” T-shirt. “But there wasn’t much we could do medically.”

So instead, they called up as many of their friends as they could and booked a night at Otto’s.

“I used to work here,” said Tom. “And I’m good friends with the owner’s family.”

According to him, the benefit show was a good way for “everyone to come together and get behind Nikki.”

The evening had a very communal vibe throughout, partially due to the music selection. “We’re friends with at least one or two of the members of every group playing here tonight,” said Brian.

The seven acts on the bill gave the night a real variety, featuring the Christian, solo acoustic singer-songwriter styling of Dacia, the hardcore rock group, They Found Me, They Named Me, the quirky synth-pop of the Midnight Snax, and the garage rock of The Mersey Buckets, Exponential Social Group, SuperCrush, and of course, The New Times Romans.

Perhaps the most enthused group at the entire event was Chicago’s Mersey Buckets. Their loud, raucous energy inspired some of the attendees to start a moshpit in front of them.

Keith Gabler, the group’s singer, was also the most vocal about supporting Williams, second only to the Chennell brothers, repeating in between songs to the audience, “Spend some f—ing money on Nikki!”

A raffle sponsored by the event was the best way to donate. Among the prizes were Jaeger shirts and hats.

A bake sale and several silent auctions for a guitar from Poc’s Music store in DeKalb, season tickets to men’s and women’s NIU basketball season, football game tickets, and one was the offer of a free home-cooked dinner from Brian Chennell himself were all used to raise money.

Williams herself was often seen behind the bake sale table, enjoying the Friday night crowd’s enthusiasm for the bands and the cause they supported.