There's also a near insurmountable cultural divide - undoubtedly heightened by the Jamaican patois, a language that many native English speakers struggle to understand. Lyrics such as "So, bredren, 'dere be a most-high problem wit' da knowledge, ya understan?" and "We a guh some weh" are likely to be lost on most, if not all, of the audience.

Then there's Shanghai's notorious materialism which is in stark contrast to reggae's warm, sunny notions of community, love and world peace. In spite of all the obstacles, Ziggy Marley firmly believes reggae knows no borders. When asked what he might offer to such an alien audience, Marley replies, "Right now, my message to all the people on earth is to love each other."

But there's more to Marley than universal love, he is an avid supporter of education as well, and that is something Chinese can relate to. "We tell the children [that] educat[ing] oneself in the truth is better than diamond and pearls," says Marley, adding that "Sometimes money can't save you but knowledge can."

These two qualities, love and education, are the hallmarks of Marley's long, storied career. Starting with his brothers and sisters in the Melody Makers, they released "Children Playing in the Streets'in 1979. The band found both critical and commercial success with their cheery, poppy reggae, winning three Grammies and scoring a top 40 hit.

After 25 years with the Melody Makers, Marley released his first solo CD, Dragonfly (2003). Collaborating with Flea and John Frusciante of the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, he injected a healthy dose of rock into his reggae base. Not that he forgot his roots. Tracks like "Shalom Salaam" ("peace" in Hebrew and Arabic) and "In the Name of God" urged humanity to put down their guns and listen to the angel who came down from Zion.

His latest disc, 2006's Love is My Religion, continues to preach the gospel of global brotherhood. "On the Beach in Hawaii" is an ode to love; "Still the Storms" laments the civil wars in Rwanda, Sierra Leone, and Sudan, while other songs sing of self-empowerment and unity. The title track is a heartfelt plea for an end to hate and the birth of unmitigated love. A feel-good roots standout, Love is My Religion was nominated for the Best Reggae Album at the 2007 Grammy Awards.

Ziggy Marley, then, has managed to remain an optimist, despite his own personal trials and travails. His father died when he was just 13 years of age. The oldest Marley son, Ziggy was forced into the limelight as the natural heir to the throne. A difficult task, and one that could have plunged your average son of a rock star into despair. Ziggy, however, has kept positive because, in his own words, he is "Full of love. We are born positive, that is just how we are."

Still, Ziggy admits that positive people are becoming something of a lost tribe. "The earth is out of balance; there is too much negativity," he says. "We need more people to be positive to counteract that."

So while the odds may seem against a warm reception in Shanghai, love has been known to find a way. In other words, red, yellow, and green could become fashionable this year; dreadlocks might replace frizzy perms, and reggae rule the airwaves. If anyone can bring about this change, it'll be Ziggy Marley. "Music is a universal language," he says. "To connect spiritually with people you don't need to speak the language, you just need to feel the vibration."

Ziggy Marley Live
Address:Yun Feng Theatre, 1700 Beijing Xi Lu, near Jiaozhou Lu.
Doors at 7pm, show at 8pm, March 27, RMB 280-480
Tel: 021-6255-0500