After more than two decades as a stand-up comedian, Todd Yohn decided several years ago to take a step back, cut down on his hectic travel schedule and be more selective about the jobs he accepts.

Today, the 26-year veteran of the comedy club circuit remains as busy as he wants to be, venturing out of his home outside of Winston-Salem, N.C., to perform in some of his favorite clubs.

Luckily for local fans of the high energy guitar-playing comic, Wiley’s Comedy Niteclub in Dayton is at the top of his list.

Yohn returns to town on Friday and Saturday.

Informal allure: “I pretty much just work the clubs where I have that kind of comfortable feeling where it’s almost like an old home night rather than a performance,” Yohn said. “I always considered my show to be more or less like a family reunion where Mom says, ‘Hey, we’ve all been into the keg. Go stand on the porch and make Uncle Billy laugh.’ ”

Unburdened humor: “When I come to Wiley’s, everybody pretty much just lets me do what I want to do,” he said. “There’s no pressure to necessarily perform. They know when I come to town I’m going to be funny so they just let the cards fall where they may and see what I come up with this time.”

In the moment: “That’s pretty much how I started comedy anyway,” Yohn said. “I was always a cutup at the house. I used to say if I had the same classroom from kindergarten through high school, you could’ve charted my growth by my nose print in the corner every year.”

Never say quit: “I’ll probably always entertain, but I just can’t do it at the frequency I used to,” he said. “I’d love to come out once a month for the rest of my life. That would be awesome.”

Contact contributing arts and music writer Don Thrasher at donaldthrasher8 @aol.com.