Two of the biggest western pop stars to ever come to Qatar held separate concerts over the weekend at the 24th Men’s Handball World Championship.

The shows were mostly well-received by those who attended, including Gazanfarulla Khan, who shot these videos.

Thousands of fans packed into the Lusail Multipurpose Hall (which seats 15,300) to see Pharrell Williams perform on Thursday.

Those who attended the concert said the brand-new venue, along with the upbeat audience helped make the performance a memorable one.

The crowd that turned out for Gwen Stefani last night was less robust – attendees reported a lot of empty seats – but the show was just as enjoyable, fans said.

The low attendance might have been due to confusion about Stefani performing. On Friday, Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah died, and several countries including Qatar declared a mourning out of respect for his death.

As part of this, some entertainment-related events here were canceled over the weekend. Stefani’s performance was initially postponed, but then it was announced it would go ahead as planned.

The late hour of the concert – both performers took to the stage after 11pm – may also have played a role.

Nonetheless, many of those who attended the shows said they were glad to taken part in the events. And Stefani herself seems to have enjoyed her time in Doha:

The handball tournament continues until Feb. 1.

The full match schedule can be viewed here, and tickets can be bought online here, or at the dedicated booths in City Center, Villaggio, Landmark and Al Khor malls as well as at the main entrance to the venues.

Thoughts?