It was evidenced when hipsters too young to remember Nirvana started wearing Doc Martens and flowered sun dresses again.

The 90s, the angsty decade of feeling cool in a grandpa cardigan and bangs, quietly returned to us like a long-lost companion. There you are, 90210! Welcome back, Beavis and Butthead! And, wait, is that... Titanic making a comeback, too? It is! Hey, y'all, welcome home. We missed you.

Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein's Portlandia reminded us that the dream of the 90s never really died in some special secret locations. And, hooooo doggy, is Austin one of them.

Apparently concert promoters here are seriously hip to the 90s jam because all of your favorite 90s bands are coming back to town for another blast of "remember us?" nostalgia. With so many good and hysterical options to choose from, we figured it was the right time to let you know so you can beat the rush. (And, no, they're probably not your favorites, but most of those are either in rehab or the great beyond. Just sayin'.)

First up, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony are playing tonight at Antone's. Seems like a strange combo, yes, but nothing contradicts the amazing impact that these fast-talkers made on the hip hop scene during the gangsta-rap era of the 90s. In addition to their hits "1st of tha Month" and the Grammy-winning "Tha Crossroads," they recorded songs with Tupac, Biggie, Eazy-E and Big Pun, all who died soon afterward. As the years progressed, their rap turned more socially conscious, and Krayzie Bone, Bizzy Bone and Layzie Bone (notice the Smurfs-type unity in their names) are still together and touring.

Then this weekend, the Austin Urban Music Festival gathers at Auditorium Shores with the smooth R&B stylings of Boyz II Men and Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds. Sure, the Boyz have long since become Men (and there are only three of them, sorry to say), but you'll still lose it when they cover "End of the Road," "Motown Philly," and "I'll Make Love To You." Meanwhile, one-man sex machine Babyface never lost his velvet vocals from from lost-love ballads like "Nobody Knows It But Me" to the badass soul of "Whip Appeal." I'm just hoping they're all wearing a million white linen suits and flip-up Dwayne Wayne sunglasses.

The recently re-animated Belmont is also bringing you some of the biggest names of 90s R&B. On May 12, Salt N' Pepa will be in Austin, packin' and mackin', bamboozlin' and smackin' suckers with their tracks, and you do not want to miss it. Cheryl and Sandy will be performing their hits off their hit album, Very Necessary, and maybe some of their less-than-stellar hits from A Salt with a Deadly Pepa. If for nothing else, you should love them for that album title. Otherwise, love them for their quintessential hits (and guaranteed karaoke crowd-pleasers) "Push It," "None of Your Business," and (duh) "Shoop."

Later that month, gravelly-voiced talk-rocker Shawn "Rockabye" Mullins is coming to the Belmont to remind you he's still alive and still looking to sing "Lullaby" for your general enjoyment. Released in 1998 on his album Soul's Core (back when you could get away with album titles like that), the song somehow propelled him into the kind of stardom that earns him a Grammy nom and allows him to open for the Backstreet Boys and Destiny's Child. Who knew? And who cares, it's the "Rockabye" guy! He's now 44!

La Zona Rosa also knows how to show the love to our 90s heroes, and they're keeping the trend going in a big way every day. On April 21, Scottish/American alt rockers Garbage are coming to Austin with new material they've put together since their dissolution in 2007. Hopefully they'll still slip in their biggest hits from their first album, though, like "Stupid Girl" and "Only Happy When it Rains." Remember how troubled and sexy that song made you feel for reasons you still to this day couldn't describe to anyone?

June 2, you can also see 90s inspiration rockers Collective Soul at La Zona Rosa. You most likely remember them for their early 90s songs "The World I Know," "Shine," and "Run." They sure knew how to involve some badass guitars in their songs, but they still tended toward beautiful Creed-esque lyrics before Creed was ever a thing. I'm not sure they were intending for Christian rock, but they sure nailed it on their first try.

On July 21, ACL Live welcomes the Last Summer on Earth Tour featuring Barenaked Ladies, Blues Traveler, Big Head Todd & The Monsters and Cracker. Yowza, that's a lot to take in all at once. (In my case, if you thow a Hootie & the Blowfish or a Bush album in the mix, we'd pretty much be ready for a junior high dance.) These giants of the softer side of 90s alternative rock are still kicking and ready to rock you with hits like "One Week," "The Hook," "Bittersweet" and "Low."

Finally, get ready for the 2012 Summerland Tour also in July, which is seriously going to punch you in the face with its hysterically awesome pop rock lineup. Everclear, the Gin Blossoms, Lit, Sugar Ray and Marcy Playground are hitting the road together to prove they still got what it takes to make crowds gather and girls take their tops off. We've seen Sugar Ray's Mark McGrath hustling it on Extra and The Celebrity Apprentice, but now he's picking up the mic again to join his fellow 90s demi-gods for this one-of-a-kind event. This is the most ideal way to guarantee you get that damn "Sex and Candy" song stuck in your head for another decade at least.

This is only the tip of the Titanic-y iceberg, of course. Those 90s musicians are going to keep riding that wave until they're breaking hips instead of dropping hits. It worked for Cher and Liza, didn't it?

We might as well embrace all the live music from the endless decade because — like an endlessly chirping Tamagotchi — it's not ever going to leave us alone. So rip up your baggy jeans, get your perfect Rachel 'do did, and get ready to sing the *&%$ along, y'all.