For the first 15 years of his career, Dave Alvin was known for smoking guitar work and ability to cross genres with groups such as The Blasters, X, and The Knitters, and as a solo artist. But it was fourth solo album, 1994’s “King of California,” that proved to be a game changer. A stunning and evocative disc, it allowed Alvin to recast and reinterpret several of his songs (along with a few well-chosen covers) in a stripped-down acoustic setting. On Tuesday, Alvin brought producer/multi-instrumentalist Greg Leisz and frequent singing partner Christy McWilson to The Birchmere to celebrate the album’s 25th anniversary. McWilson opened with a brief solo set.