In a blow to Radiohead fans, Suffolk County has denied a mass gathering permit for a two-day rock concert in Calverton, meaning for now the event can’t go ahead.

But the promoter contends the permit was wrongly denied and insists the Field Day Festival will go on June 7-8, as planned. A meeting between Riverhead Town Supervisor Robert Kozakiewicz, Police Chief David Hegermiller and a concert promoter is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. this afternoon at the concert site.

Meanwhile, an environmental group sued Riverhead Town and the event organizers yesterday, charging the town didn’t do a proper environmental review before leasing the site to the concert promoters in February.

But Andrew Dreskin, the concert promoter, said he filed his application for a mass gathering permit in March, giving the county enough time to plan the concert. The permit’s denial, he said, “has absolutely nothing to do with police and has everything to do with a political desire for this event not to take place.”

He said the county can’t issue a final permit until 48 hours before the show is set to begin. “And you know what? I have seven lawyers saying the same thing,” Dreskin said.

Riverhead Town Attorney Dawn Thomas said suing the town was inappropriate because the town board has not yet decided whether to issue its permit allowing the concert to go ahead. The board plans to vote on the permit June 3. Dreskin argued that he already had committed $5 million to the event and asked that any injunction be accompanied by a bond to cover money he might lose.

Ticketholders expressed anger yesterday that the concert might not go ahead. Jon Desenberg, a 29-year-old management consultant from Washington, D.C., is driving to the concert with about eight other friends. With so many big-name bands on the lineup, also Beck and Liz Phair, “it just didn’t seem like the kind of thing that would fall through,” he said.

But Dreskin contends Desenberg has nothing to fear, saying he will only refund tickets “on June 9, if the event didn’t happen … Until then, this event is absolutely happening.” [full story at newsday.com, thanks mfkennedy]

Radiohead news on this day..

• Thom Yorke pays tribute to Gil Scott-Heron – 2011
• AP Interview: ‘There’s a ban on banjos’ – 2008
• David Cameron’s Fake Plastic Request – 2006
• Phil: “We’ve no new songs, not one.” – 2004
• Radiohead recharging their batteries – 2004
• ‘Go to Sleep’ confirmed as next single – 2003
• Win tickets for Radiohead’s M+ performance – 2003
• Radiohead calling – 2003
• Thom in Spin – 2003
• Radiohead on Jo Whiley show – 2003