SAN FRANCISCO — Bay Area rockers Journey brought their summer stadium tour, with co-headlining buddies Def Leppard and fellow locals Steve Miller Band to Oracle Park on Wednesday, even as long-time members Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain are embroiled in another dispute.

This time suing each other over the use of a band credit (other recent conflicts have centered on Cain’s support of Donald Trump with the band’s music, accusations of takeovers by former band members and personal name-calling), the two were consummate professionals in concert, supporting each other musically on a three act bill of hitmakers whose songs were foundational over multiple decades, from the ’60s onward.

The San Francisco band, marking 50 years of various states of togetherness, was the clear audience favorite for the 25,000 in attendance at Oracle Park. It was sandwiched between Miller and Leppard but had the most time on stage of the three, and despite whatever is said behind closed doors, the two and their bandmates delivered a hit-heavy, well-paced and terrifically executed set that proved why the band has such a high status in the Bay.

Schon led his bandmates, which also included vocalist Arnel Pineda, drummer Deen Castronovo, keyboardist Jason Derlatka and bassist Todd Jensen, onto the stage, already soloing on his guitar; Journey wasted no time. Once everyone was in position, they blasted through uplifting rocker “Only the Young” and “Be Good to Yourself.” Pineda hopped around like the Energizer Bunny while belting away.

He’s not Steve Perry, of course, but recent reports of his voice going out were exaggerated, and other than some muffled sound issues, he sounded fine throughout. Pineda was, right away, getting down to his knees to sing into the faces of those next to the large M-shaped catwalk that extended away from the stage, with groups of attendees inside the two pockets it created.

Schon then transitioned into the first of a couple extended guitar solos, this one swirling and psychedelic.

Journey focused primarily on 1981’s Escape and 1983’s Frontiers. Highlights included the thunderous “Stone in Love,” grandiose rocker “Ask the Lonely” and power ballad “Who’s Crying Now.” The latter had an extended guitar jam by Schon, whose credentials as an all-time specialist at his instrument are set in stone. With a wide smile on his face for the entire time on stage, he seemingly didn’t want any song to end.

Cain also had plenty of opportunities to shine, leading the way on “Faithfully” from a baby grand piano while Pineda belted away with thousands trying to sing with him. Cain also shouted out the Giants, dedicated the former song to military personnel and thanked fans for coming out.

“Thank you for all the years,” he said.

He and Schon didn’t appear to interact at all, other than a group bow at the very end of the set. But before Journey got there, the band began to build massive momentum with “Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin’,” a moody and symphonic Cain piano solo and a collection of its biggest hits like “Open Arms,” an amazing “Wheel in the Sky,” rocking “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart),” “Don’t Stop Believin’,” and “Any Way You Want It.”

Along the way, Castronovo also nailed the vocals and feeling of “Lights”—while drumming—and Schon threw in a tribute to the late Tony Bennett during another guitar solo.

“It’s good to be home!” the guitarist announced.

San-Francisco-founded Steve Miller Band kicked off the concert with an hourlong set of the fellow Rock and Roll Hall of Famer’s own hits like dreamy rocker “Swingtown,” rollicking blues rock tune “Take the Money and Run” and extended version of “Fly Like an Eagle” that included multiple keyboard runs while his band’s tight rhythm section created room for him to weave in, out and around on his guitar.

As successful as he is, Steve Miller may actually be an underrated guitarist. During “Serenade,” his hands were working up and down the neck of his starburst Fender Strat, laying down slick blues rock riffs. On “The Stake,” he worked in the whammy bar on the ringing mid-tempo groove. He also blasted away on a harmonica during “Living in the U.S.A.”

Miller explained how streams of his hit “Abracadabra” skyrocketed after Eminem sampled it for his song “Houdini,” before playing the New-Romantic-like original tune, dedicating it to the rapper. “Rock’n Me” was another melodic highlight. Then for “The Joker,” Miller switched to a sparkly sky blue guitar and matching slide to create the song’s signature “whooo-whooo” expression.

He concluded with “Jet Airliner,” playing the song on his Les Paul guitar. Before he did, he explained how the guitar maker taught him his first chord as a child and later got married in his house.

The night’s final act was Def Leppard. The band is celebrating the 40th anniversary of its Pyromania album (1983) and focused primarily on that one, as well as its follow-up, 1987’s Hysteria. The performance, and attendees’ reaction to it, was a bit of a mixed bag. On the one hand, plenty of people seemed to be there to catch the metal band. On the other, following Journey in San Francisco is no easy feat. Oracle Park was noticeably less filled by the time the band took the stage at 9:30 p.m.

Frontman Joe Elliott was at his best on songs that didn’t require him to sing high, such as “Foolin’,” “Too Late for Love” and heavy ballad “Love Bites.”

It took him a couple of songs to get comfortable, but the band kept the train moving on opener “Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop)” and “Rocket.” Guitarists Vivian Campbell and Phil Collen carried much of the load (and are reason enough to buy a ticket to see Def Leppard in 2024), while drummer Rick Allen and bassist Rick Savage built the heavy song foundations.

Def Leppard included new single “Just Like ’73,” before Elliott noted he was jumping a full decade ahead with lesser known cut, “Die Hard the Hunter,” from 1983. Next came a short acoustic set out on the catwalk.

“It’s just gonna be you and me on this one,” Elliot asked the crowd. “Are we good?”

The answer likely depended on whether you love your heavy bands to always play heavy. I enjoyed the short acoustic takes on “Two Steps Behind” and “Bringin’ On the Heartbreak,” the latter of which eventually turned electric and plenty heavy.

There was also the sentimental “This Guitar,” before Def Leppard turned on the afterburners to conclude with rocking hits “Rock of Ages,” “Photograph,” “Hysteria” and “Pour Some Sugar on Me.”

Follow editor Roman Gokhman at Twitter.com/RomiTheWriter. Follow photographer Aaron Lee at Instagram.com/aaronxphotos.